FROM 

DWIGHTC.  KILBOURN 
LITCHFIELD,  CONN 


MEMOIR  OP  TORREY 


,  S-it.'i 

: 


7>-ts  / 


MEMOIR 


OF 


REV.  CHARLES  T.  TORREY, 

WHO  DIED  IN  THE 

PENITENTIARY  OF  MARYLAND, 

WHERE  HE  WAS  CONFINED 

FOR    SHOWING   MERCY  TO    THE   POOR. 

BY 

'••    -J,  C.  LOVE. JO  Yv 


Copy-right   secured  to   Mrs.    Torrey. 


BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  P.  JEWETT   &  CO 
1847. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1846,  by 

JOHN  P.  JEWETT  &  Co. 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


PRESS  OF 

LILL    AND    WARDWELL, 
A!»DOVER. 


PREFACE. 


"  DUST  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return,"  is  a 
decree  against  which  mortals  struggle  in  vain.  Not  only 
does  the  body  return  to  the  earth,  but  the  actions  and  words 
perish  with  it. 

The  ancients  lifted  the  marble  from  its  bed,  and  bade  the 
chisel  shape  it  into  the  form  of  a  living  man — but  it  was  only 
a  likeness,  imperfect  and  unable  to  perpetuate  the  man  that 
once  lived  and  walked  and  acted. 

Types  and  the  press  have  furnished  us  with  a  cheaper 
mode  of  preserving  the  words  and  actions  of  men.  Yet 
"  how  small  is  the  sum  of  them."  Far  more  is  lost  than  can 
be  preserved.  Still  we  love  to  survey  the  skeletons  of  the 
extinct  races  of  animals. 

"  The  proper  study  of  mankind  is  man." 

Biography  furnishes  the  materials  for  this  study.  Little 
need  be  said  to  introduce  the  papers  of  Mr.  Torrey.  The 
editor  has  only  to  say,  that  under  the  circumstances  in  which 
he  was  placed,  he  has  done  what  he  could,  to  arrange  them 
so  as  to  give  a  fair  picture  of  his  life. 

It  properly  devolves  upon  an  intimate  friend  to  prepare 
materials  from  the  hand  of  the  dead  for  the  eye  of  the  living. 
The  individual  selected  for  that  purpose  by  Mr.  Torrey,  was 
admonished  by  his  declining  health  that  he  could  undertake 
no  such  task.  The  alternative  was  thus  presented  to  the 
writer,  that  either  there  would  be  no  memoir  of  Mr.  Torrey, 

Ml  /I 


VI  PREFACE. 

or  he  must  prepare  it.  He  chose  the  latter ;  and  if  the  reader 
finds  it  not  what  he  would  like  ;  the  comparison  is  not  be 
tween  this  and  a  better  one,  but  this  or  none. 

Mr.  Torrey  was  a  profuse  writer.  Sermons,  diaries,  edi 
torials,  essays,  letters  in  huge  and  dire  masses  lay  around  us, 
as  we  began  the  work — like  chaos  at  creation,  a  vast  heap 
of  unshaped  material.  We  have  read  and  culled,  and  cut 
and  arranged,  till  the  brain  is  tired  and  the  hand  weary ; 
if  you,  reader,  are  in  any  measure  thankful  for  our  labor,  we 
take  it  kindly,  and  are  more  than  repaid ;  if  you  buffet  us 
for  faults,  we  are  clad  in  the  best  of  shields :  in  the  midst  of 
other  cares  and  duties,  we  have  done  what  we  could. 

J.  C.  L. 

November,  1846. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE, 

Birth,  Parents,  Early  Education         ....  I 

CHAPTER  II. 
College  Life 5 

CHAPTER  III. 
School-keeping  .  24 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Studies  Theology. — Letters  to  his  Wife  before  Marriage. — Ordina 
tion  at  Providence. — Letter  to  his  Wife. — Dismission. — Reset 
tled  at  Salem.— Leaves  Salem 32 

CHAPTER  V. 
Letters  to  Rev.  P.  Cooke 42 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Continues  to  Lecture. — Reporter  at  Washington — Goes  to  Annap 
olis. — Imprisonment. — Letters 85 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Becomes  Editor  of  a  Paper  in  Albany. — Goes  to  Virginia  to  assist 
a  man  to  get  his  Wife  and  Children. — Carriage  seized.— Story 
of  the  Webb  Family 104 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Arrest  and  Imprisonment  of  Mr.  Torrey. — Letters  from  Baltimore 

Jail. — Letter  to  a  Convention  at  Salem      ...  126 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Letters  to  his  Wife. — Attempts  to  escape  from  Jail    .        .        .        148 

CHAPTER  X. 
Letters  to  Mr.  Alden .— To  Mrs.  Williams.— To  Mr.  Mc'Kim     .        160 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Trial  of  Mr.  Torrey  —  Conviction      .        .  •   •-  .      -.       *  -      .        171 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Letters  from  the  Penitentiary 214 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Letters  to  Mrs.  Torrey,  while  in  Prison 237 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Last  Letters  to  and  from  Mr.  Torrey 245 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Efforts  for  the  Release  of  Mr.  Torrey.— His  Sickness  and  Death       282 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Funeral.— Extracts  from  the  Sermon  preached  on  the  occasion         294 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Sketches  of  Mr.  Torrey.— Resolutions  of  Public  Bodies.— Voice  of 

the  Press.— Poetry 308 


MEMOIR. 


CHAPTER  I. 

BIRTH,    PARENTS,    EARLY   EDUCATION. 

"  THOUGH  dead,  he  yet  speaketh."  Who  does  not  love  to 
listen  to  the  gentle  whisper  that  comes  up  to  the  ear  from  the 
grave  ?  All  the  angry  passions  that  from  within  and  without 
beset  their  victim,  lie  quietly  sleeping  around  his  tomb.  The 
things  said  and  the  deeds  done  are  the  mirror  in  which  you 
may  see  the  man.  On  a  fly  leaf  without  date,  but  in  the 
hand  writing  of  Mr.  Torrey,  is  the  following  record. 

"  Some  particulars  of  my  parents,  etc.,  furnished  by  my 
grandmother,  etc.,  when  I  was  at  home  last. 

"  My  mother,  Hannah  Tolman  Turner,  was  born  Jan.  28, 
1794  My  father,  Charles  Torrey,  was  born  — .  They 
were  married  March  21, 1813.  I,  Charles,  was  born  Nov.  21 , 
1813.  My  name  afterwards  was  altered  by  general  court  to 
Charles  Turner,  in  18 — .  Hannah  was  born  April  14,  1815. 
Father  died  October  — ,  1815,  of  consumption,  aged  —  . 
My  sister  died  March  28,  1816,  of  dropsy  in  the  head,  aged 
11  months  and  17  days ;  was  a  very  beautiful  child.  Mother 
died  March  29, 1817,  of  consumption,  aged  23  years,  2  months 
and  1  day.y  She  was  a  member  of  Mr.  Thomas's  church ; 
said  to  be  very  beautiful,  amiable,  etc.  Mother  was  born  in 
the  house  at  present  occupied  by  uncle  Theodore  ;  father,  in 
a  house  in  Boston,  formerly  occupied  by  Mr.  Burr.  They 
lived,  were  married,  and  died  in  Scituate.  He  died  in  his 
1 


2  t       MEMOIR  X)F  TORRE Y. 

own  house,  near  the  late  "Augustus  Clapp's,  in  the  North 
parish.'  /'Hannah  aisp  dfe£-Uierp.  Mother  afterwards  moved 
to  grandfather's  house,"  w'here'she  was  born;  there  she  died. 
A  short  time  before  she  died  she  solemnly  consecrated  me  to 
God,  hoping  that  I  might  be  his.  My  parents,  immediately 
after  their  marriage,  removed  to  the  house  near  Mr.  Clapp's, 
whence  they  never  removed.  Father  was  a  merchant.  I 
have,  ever  since  a  short  time  previous  to  my  mother's  death, 
lived  with  my  grandparents  :  first,  till  1825,  at  Scituate ; 
thence,  till  Oct.  1827,  at  Charlestown  ;  thence,  till  May  30, 
1828,  at  Chelsea;  from  June  1,  1828  to  Aug.  20,  1830,  I 
was  at  Exeter,  N.  H.,  attending  Phillips  Academy ;  boarded, 
except  the  last  term,  with  Mr.  John  Gardner  ;  thence  till 
October  15,  at  Chelsea  ;  then  came  to  Yale  college,  and  here 
am  I.  I  remember  very  little  about  my  parents  or  sister ; 
perhaps  nothing ;  for  impressions  may  have  been  made  on 
my  mind  so  in  unison  with  what  may  have  been  my  feelings 
at  the  time,  that  I  remember  them.  For  instance ;  I  think 
I  remember  playing  with  my  little  sister;  remember  my  glee 
at  the  '  pleasant  ride'  I  thought  we  had  when  she  was  buried  ; 
my  father's  greatcoat,  which  hung  in  a  particular  place;  my 
mother's  sick  bed ;  aunt  Amanda's  parching  corn  for  her ; 
my  playing  about  father's  house,  near  a  board  fence  ;  going 
into  the  shop  ;  and  perhaps  some  other  trifling  circumstances  ; 
— must,  when  I  next  see  Scituate,  endeavor  to  renew  my 
recollections,  by  visiting  my  former  home, — no  longer  the 
home  indeed  to  which  my  heart  clings." 

The  young  and  beautiful  mother  of  Mr.  Torrey,  at  the 
early  age  of  23  years,  resigning  life  and  the  fond  hopes  that 
hovered  around  her  darling  boy,  consigned  him,  upon  her  dy 
ing  bed,  to  the  arms  of  her  father  and  mother.  In  the  same 
family  resided  a  sister  of  his  grandmother,  who  loved  Charles 
with  the  fondness  of  a  mother.  The  lonely  orphan  commit 
ted  to  their  care,  displayed,  even  in  his  childish  prattle,  evi- 


BIRTH,   PARENTAGE,    EDUCATION.  3 

dence  of  uncommon  intelligence,  which  was  perceived  by  less 
partial  witnesses  than  the  loving  grandparents.  His  memory 
was  strong  and  retentive,  and  his  mind  ever  on  the  alert  to 
obtain  information,  led  him,  at  an  early  age,  to  take  freely  of 
the  "tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil."  In  his  walks,  to 
and  from  school,  he  amused  himself  with  examining  the  bugs, 
caterpillars,  grasshoppers,  worms,  butterflies,  frogs,  polywogs, 
and  flowers  of  every  hue  which  intersected  his  path.  This 
occupied  so  much  time  his  fond  grandmother  often  started  in 
pursuit  of  him,  when  she  would  find  him  returning  with  his 
little  dinner  pail  filled  full  of  the  various  specimens  of  Natu 
ral  History  and  Botany  which  he  had  been  studying.  He 
would  then,  by  reading  and  conversation,  learn  all  he  could 
respecting  them  ;  and  this  knowledge,  thus  acquired,  in  after 
years,  he  always  had  at  command. 

He  loved  not  the  rude  sports  common  to  children  of  his 
age ;  but  found  his  chief  delight  in  retiring  to  a  closet,  and 
reading  the  books,  both  grave  and  gay,  which  had  come  down 
to  the  family  from  past  generations,  or  in  conversation  with 
his  grandmother  upon  theology,  and  with  his  grandfather  up 
on  the  political  affairs  of  his  native  town  and  country,  so  far 
as  he  could  obtain  information. 

At  the  age  of  five  and  six  years,  he  always  attended  the 
town  meetings  with  his  grandfather,  who  was  generally  mod 
erator  ;  sat  with  him,  watched  every  proceeding,  counted  eve 
ry  vote,  and  was  able  to  carry  home  a  correct  account  of  all 
that  transpired  there.  It  was  probably  here,  that  he  first  ob 
tained  his  taste  for  politics. 

No  wonder  that  they  marvelled  at  him,  and  felt  proud  at 
the  astonishment  with  which  others  heard  him  converse.  But 
unfortunately,  he  soon  learned,  what  was  not  the  less  true, 
that  he  displayed  intelligence  and  mental  power  beyond  his 
years.  This  led  him  to  place  great  reliance  upon  his  own 
wisdom  ;  and  as  his  passions  were  also  equally  developed 
with  his  mental  faculties,  rendered  it  exceedingly  difficult  for 


4  MEMOIR  OF  TOREEY. 

the  trembling  hand  of  age  to  hold  the  reins  of  discipline  with 
sufficient  sternness  to  guide  such  a  comet  through  his  child 
hood  and  youth. 

He  accordingly  grew  up  lovely  in  his  person,  sprightly  in 
his  manners,  with  uncommon  knowledge,  ability,  and  self- 
confidence,  and  swayed  by  passions  which  yielded  to  no  con 
trol. 

God  has  his  purposes  to  execute,  deeper  and  wider  than 
any  we  can  form  ;  and  upon  every  character,  when  it  is  com 
pleted,  will  be  found  this  inscription :  "  For  this  same  pur 
pose  have  I  raised  thee  up."  Thus  it  must  be,  and  thus  the 
Scripture  is  fulfilled ;  not  written  with  pen  and  ink  indeed, 
but  in  those  deeper  lines,  where  the  finger  of  God  writes  his 
will  upon  the  hidden  columns  that  support  his  throne. 

When  fifteen  years  of  age,  his  long  black  hair  was 
smoothed  around  his  brow,  his  trunk  packed  with  books  and 
clothing,  and  the  last  kiss  of  aunt  and  grandmother  im 
pressed  upon  his  ruddy  lips,  and  with  many  prayers,  cher 
ished  hopes,  and  large  expectations,  he  left  "  Home"  for  Ex 
eter  Academy,  there  to  fit  for  college.  Two  years  there 
not  only  fitted  him  for  college,  but  well  nigh  unfitted  him  for 
this  world  and  the  next. 

Take  care  !  that  young  boy  goes  out  upon  the  ocean  of  life 
freighted  with  hopes  richer  than  the  gold  of  Ophir. 

"  Take  heed,  ye  guardians  of  the  youthful  mind 
That  facile  grows  beneath  your  kindly  care  : 
'Tis  of  elastic  mould,  and,  if  confined 
With  too  much  stress,  '  shoots  madly  from  its  sphere,' 
Unswayed  by  love,  and  unrestrained  by  fear." 

There  is  enough  to  fill  the  fond  parent  with  overwhelming 
apprehension,  in  sending  out  a  son  upon  the  world  at  that  age 
when  the  magazine  of  passion  is  about  to  be  uncovered,  and 
sparks  are  flying  around  it  in  all  directions.  The  pure 
minded  boy  joins  the  older  circle  of  companions,  and  must 
for  himself  choose  the  good  or  perish  by  the  evil. 


COLLEGE  LIFE.  0 

It  scarcely  needed  the  vivid  imagination  of  the  pure  minded 
Greek  to  paint  this  danger  in  a  beautiful  allegory.  The 
great,  the  wise,  and  the  good  Dr.  Arnold  of  Rugby,  felt  this 
danger  with  all  a  parent's  solicitude.  Nothing  but  the  re 
flection  that  there  is  no  virtue  that  is  not  tried,  could  recon 
cile  him  to  the  exposure  to  which  he  saw  the  younger  mem 
bers  of  his  school  subject. 

It  was  joy  to  him  to  see  the  bending  reed  recover  itself, 
after  the  rude  blast  had  swept  over  it,  and  standing  firmer 
with  its  roots  broader  and  stronger,  promising  to  be  a  tree 
which  no  wind  can  shake,  no  storm  disturb. 


CHAPTER  II. 

COLLEGE    LIFE. 

By  the  restraining  grace  of  God,  Mr.  T.  was  kept  during 
the  two  years  at  the  Academy,  and  entered  Yale  College,  in 
autumn  of  1830,  in  his  17th  year.  He  entered  the  Sopho 
more  class,  though,  young  as  he  then  was,  it  would  have  been 
better  had  he  entered  the  Freshman  class.  Of  his  first  year 
in  college  he  has  left  no  trace  behind,  save  the  record  of  his 
expenses.  His  father  left  him  a  small  patrimony,  in  the 
hands  of  Hon.  Charles  Turner,  his  grandfather,  which,  with 
great  prudence,  and  some  exertion  on  his  part,  would  have 
nearly  educated  him.  But  this  he  did  not  understand.  His 
doubly  fond  grandparents,  who  loved  two  in  one,  had  always 
abundantly  supplied  every  want ;  and  it  was  not  till,  in  the 
midst  of  his  collegiate  course,  when  his  resources  began  to  fail 
by  his  repeated  demands  upon  them,  that  he  first  began  to  feel 
the  worth  of  money.  Though  it  was  now  necessary  for  his 
guardian  to  teach  him  lessons  of  economy,  it  was  as  painful 
to  him  as  to  the  subject  of  his  discipline.  He  was  now  obliged 
1* 


6  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

to  resort  to  credit,  for  the  remainder  of  his  education.  And 
he  who  knows  not  how  to  spend  ready  money,  will  know  still 
less  about  regulating  his  expenses,  when  the  pay  day  is  dis 
tant.  He  accordingly  graduated  in  debt,  which  was  aug 
mented  unnecessarily  by  the  purchase  of  a  library,  and  other 
useful  things,  which  it  would  have  been  better  to  have  re 
mained  without,  till  he  really  needed  them,  or  was  able  to  pay 
for  them.  The  following  sums  passed  through  his  hands 
while  in  college. 

First  year $39  6,87  J 

Second  year 303,80 

Third  year 601,25 

During  the  first  year  of  Mr.  Torrey's  college  life,  he  be 
came  the  subject  of  religious  impressions,  which  resulted  in 
his  hopeful  conversion  to  Christ.  In  his  journal  is  found  the 
following  record : 

Sabbath  day,  March  13,  1831. 

"  Though  I  have  repeatedly  resolved  on  my  course,  I  have 
never  written  it  down  formally.  I  will  do  so  now  ;  and,  after 
prayer  to  my  Maker,  sign  it. 

"  Whereas  my  attention  has  been  for  some  time  called  to  the 
all-important  subject  of  my  soul's  salvation,  I,  being  fully 
convinced  and  persuaded,  and  feeling  in  my  heart,  that  the 
service  of  God  is  the  only  satisfsctory  service,  with  prayerful 
earnestness  and  solemnity,  having  the  eternal  consequences 
in  view,  in  the  presence  of  God,  appealing  to  him  for  the  sin 
cerity  of  my  intentions  and  for  his  aid  and  assistance,  do  now 
resolve  that  I  will  be,  in  very  deed,  his  disciple  ;  that  I  will 
take  him  in  Christ  as  my  only  portion  and  hope,  for  time  and 
for  eternity,  putting  away  all  lusts  and  everything  inconsist 
ent  with  his  honor  and  glory  and  the  devotion  of  my  whole 
heart  and  life  to  his  cause  :  that  I  do  now  and  forever  conse 
crate  myself  to  his  service ;  that  he  shall  be  my  God,  and  I 
will  be  his  child.  And  may  God,  in  his  infinite  mercy  and 


COLLEGE  LIFE.  7 

love,  enable  me,  in  reliance  on  the  Savior,  to  keep  this  reso 
lution  :  to  which  I  now,  in  his  presence,  affix  my  hand. 

(Signed,)  CHARLES    TURNER  TORREY. 

2 1  minutes  after  nine  o'clock,  P.  M. 

"  I  have  done  it.  The  act  has  been  solemnly  done,  in  the 
presence  of  God  ;  and  I  know  before  this  it  is  recorded  in 
heaven.  May  he  enable  me  to  abide  by  it  in  eternity.  He 
can  and  will.  In  him  do  I  put  my  trust.  I  think  I  had  bet 
ter  read  this  daily,  till  it  is  impressed  upon  my  mind.  I  feel 
that  I  am  acting  no  trifling  part ;  that  my  future  state  has 
now  been  decided,  and  I  will  trust  in  my  Maker  that  it  is  de 
cided  that  I  shall  be  of  the  number  of  those  who  love  him." 

[Common-place  Book  and  Journal,  1831.] 

"  Yale,  New  Haven,  July  1. 

"  The  following  is  the  Covenant  and  Confession  of  Faith 
in  our  college  church." 

After  writing  out  the  Confession  of  Faith,  he  says  : 
"  This,  then,  is  the  solemn  covenant  I  entered  into  with 
my  Maker  and  his  church.  And  how  have  I  kept  it  ?  God 
is  a  covenant-keeping  God ;  but  I,  his  creature,  have  vio 
lated  my  vows.  Now  would  I  renew  them ;  and  may  his 
grace  enable  me  to  keep  them.  This  day,  as  usual,  wrote 
a  little.  In  the  evening,  attended  the  usual  college  prayer- 
meeting  ;  very  few  were  present ;  most  of  the  students  prob 
ably  attended  the  preparatory  lecture  in  the  Center  church. 
The  meeting  was  a  precious  one  to  me.  I  do  enjoy  some  of 
our  meetings  for  social  prayer  very  much.  My  private  devo 
tions,  too,  are  generally  most  precious  seasons,  especially 
when  I  can,  in  any  measure,  realise  the  fact,  that  my  Lord 
and  Savior  is  present ;  when  I  can  cast  myself  at  his  feet,  and 
ask  his  forgiveness  and  blessing.  How  unsearchable  are  the 
riches  of  his  goodness,  which  can  forgive  such  sins  as  mine  ! 
renewed  daily  and  hourly.  Some  time  since,  when  the 
thought  of  my  sinfulness,  my  persisting  in  the  same  sins  for 


8  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

which  I  have  often  asked  forgiveness,  came  into  my  mind,  I 
felt  ashamed  to  go  and  ask  pardon.  And  I  fear  this  emotion 
of  pride  kept  me  from  my  Maker  when  I  should  have  con 
fessed  my  vileness  and  humbled  myself  before  him.  But 
happily  I  was  led  to  see  the  error  of  this  being  ashamed  to  go 
to  my  Maker  when  oppressed  with  the  sense  of  guilt,  by 
some  remarks  made  in  the  Theological  Chamber,  by  one  of 
the  brethren  " 

From  this  Journal  Mr.  Torrey  will  have  some  communion 
with  the  reader  on  various  topics  during  the  remaining  pe 
riod  of  his  college  life.  You  can  see  that  he  formed  his  own 
opinions  at  that  early  age,  and  knew  how  to  express  them. 
You  have,  too,  many  of  the  struggles  of  the  human  and  di 
vine — light  and  darkness,  sin  and  holiness  contending  with 
each  other.  In  these  journals,  the  marked  and  prominent 
attribute  of  his  mind,  fertility,  is  everywhere  apparent,  His 
mind  was  like  the  ground  of  the  rich  man,  it  brought  forth 
plentifully.  It  yielded  its  fruit  not  only  every  month,  but 
every  day. 

He  was  in  the  habit  of  writing  an  abstract  of  the  sermons 
which  he  heard  on  the  sabbath,  and  then  appended  his  own 
remarks.  Of  one  sermon  he  says  :  "  This  sermon  was  sim 
ple  and  eloquent,  came  from  the  heart,  and  in  many  instances, 
no  doubt,  reached  it.  As  in  the  case  of  Miss  C.,  I  went  there 
after  meeting.  She  appeared  much  affected  ;  had  a  serious 
and  affectionate  conversation  with  her.  She  went  to  her 
closet  and  returned,  as  we  trust,  a  new  creature.  Her  first 
question,  when  she  returned,  was  :  How  one  felt,  or  could 
know,  when  they  had  submitted  themselves  to  Christ?" 

The  following  remarks  are  just  as  good  for  the  new  pro 
geny  of  darkness,  Odd-fellows,  as  for  their  ancestors,  the 
Masons. 

"  July  4,  5,  6.  "Wednesday.  —  Now  for  a  composition. 
What  shall  I  write  about  ?  Masonry.  If  the  prince  of  the 
powers  of  the  air,  that  old  serpent,  otherwise  called  the  devil, 


COLLEGE  LIFE.  9 

should  appear  bodily  in  the  midst  of  us,pattempt  to  set  up  his 
kingdom  here  openly,  in  the  view  of  all  men,  there  can  be  but 
little  doubt,  that  he  would  be  driven  out  of  the  country,  with 
every  mark  of  disgrace  and  contempt.  But  when  he  as 
sumes  the  form  of  an  angel  of  light,  promises  to  those  who 
will  blindly  follow  him,  all  the  happiness  and  rewards  attend 
ant  upon  integrity  of  heart,  then  people  begin  to  imagine  that 
he  who  once  appeared  not  less  than  '  archangel  ruined,'  is  an 
archangel  still ;  though,  if  they  would  examine  his  character 
and  designs,  the  archfiend  would  plainly  appear.  Now  sup 
pose  he  had  come  into  this  country,  and  in  this  mild,  heavenly 
disguise,  set  up  a  kingdom  here,  concealed  his  character, 
displayed  an  outside  of  pomp  and  splendor,  of  beauty  and 
benevolence,  to  the  eyes  of  the  admiring  crowd  ;  and  thus  in 
duced  thousands,  of  the  good  as  well  as  the  bad,  to  serve  him. 
Suppose  again,  that  on  a  certain  occasion  his  cloven  foot,  his 
fiendish  nature,  should  accidentally  appear  to  a  few  of  his  fol 
lowers  ;  they,  alarmed  and  convinced  of  his  real  character 
and  designs,  labor  and  print  and  pray  to  convince  the  other 
blinded  followers  of  the  Old  Gentleman  of  it,  to  induce  them 
to  join  to  overthrow  his  government,  drive  his  majesty  satanic 
to  his  own  place.  .  .  Now  what  should  one  say  of  those  who 
opposed  this  so  desirable  revolution  ?  Why,  common  sense 
would  dictate  the  answer :  their  own  principles  had  become 
assimilated,  if  not  identified,  with  those  of  their  ruler.  Sup 
pose  again,  that  thousands  of  these  devil-worshippers,  aroused 
to  examine  his  nature,  should  spurn  his  allegiance,  and  sol 
emnly  warn  their  countrymen  to  shake  off  his  chains,  which 
were  soon  to  be  riveted  upon  their  bodies  and  souls,  and 
themselves  made  the  servile  tools  of  his  fiendish  majesty,  to 
conquer  other  provinces  to  himself.  Washington  has  left  it 
on  record,  and  every  freeman  ought  to  think  of  it :  that  he 
believed  secret  societies  were  the  bane  of  civil  liberty.  And 
why  ?  Because  secret  societies  enter  into  obligations  unknown 
to  the  civil  law,  and  exercise,  in  consequence,  an  influence  for 


10  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 

which  they  cannot  be  made  responsible  to  the  law.  If  this 
influence  be  bad,  the  foundations  of  government  are  destroyed. 
This  Washington  thought,  and  has  declared.  Let  every  lover 
of  liberty  remember  it :  '  secret  societies  are  the  bane,'  etc. 
Now  to  show  that  Masonry  has  this  effect.  In  New  York, 
as  all  know,  there  has  been  a  number  of  Masons  tried,  for 
procuring  the  inhuman  murder  of  Morgan,  and  not  one  has 
been  found  guilty,  though  the  evidence  has  been  such  as  to 
render  it  perfectly  certain  that  the  individuals  tried  were 
guilty.  Why  ?  Because  a  mason  was  on  the  jury,  and 
would  not  convict  a  brother  mason,  though  a  murderer.  And 
in  nearly  a  hundred  cases,  Masons  have  refused,  though  fined 
and  imprisoned  in  consequence,  to  give  testimony  on  the  trial 
of  a  brother,  when  they  knew  that  their  testimony  would  con 
vict  him.  When  asked  why  they  refused  to  testify,  they  an 
swered,  that  they  regarded  the  Masonic  oaths  as  superior  in 
their  obligation  to  the  civil  oaths,  and  they  perjured  them 
selves  to  clear  their  guilty  Masonic  brethren.  Can  a  govern 
ment  subsist  where  justice  is  thus  baffled  ? 

"  Take  your  Bibles  and  read  there  the  titles  of  the  Most 
High  God  :  '  I  am  that  I  am,'  <  the  King  of  Heaven,'  *  the 
King  of  Kings.'  Enter  a  lodge  of  Masons  and  hear  these 
titles,  and  manv  others,  applied  to  the  Grand  Masters,  and 
other  Masons,  and  then  answer  it  to  your  consciences  and  to 
your  God,  whether  you  will  not  oppose  an  institution  which 
blasphemes  the  God  of  heaven ;  whose  officers  assume  his 
titles  ;  and  which  thus  marks  all  we  reverence  as  holy,  all  we 
rely  upon  as  lovely,  in  the  religion  of  Christ.  Even  those 
who  insist  most  strongly  upon  the  natural  tendency  of  the  hu 
man  mind  to  great  and  noble  deeds  and  purposes,  must  ad 
mit  that  it  is,  in  a  majority  of  instances,  strangely  perverse, 
is  wonderfully  inclined  to  receive  gilded  errors,  rather  than  to 
search  for  the  hidden  things  of  truth.  No  greater  proof  of 
this  is  needed  than  the  almost  innumerable  systems  of  re 
ligion  current  at  the  present  day,  but  one  of  which,  from  the 


COLLEGE  LIFE.  11 

nature  of  things,  can  be  entirely  right.  Again,  most  of  us 
have  observed  what  a  wonderful  difference  there  is  between 
a  dream  and  the  reality,  which  an  examination  by  daylight 
presents  to  the  mind.  On  these  two  principles  we  may  per 
haps  account  for  that  beauty  which  appeared  in  a  certain  tree, 
of  which  we  had  an  eloquent  description  last  week.  To  one 
thoroughly  awakened,  the  tree  appears  to  be  rotten,  the 
branches  leafless  and  withered  ;  those  reclining  under  it — half 
bad — the  rest,  indeed  good ;  but  contented  to  suppose  the  tree 
shady,  because  they  are  told  so,  and  never  looked  up  to  see 
its  barrenness  ;  but  spell-bound  by  the  master  spirit  who  sits 
on  the  tree  scattering  poison  over  the  whole  multitude  of 
sleepers." 

A  good  Bath  for  Soul  and  Body. 

"  July  6. — Had  a  delicious  bath  going  to  A.,  and  on  return 
ing,  in  two  fresh  brooks.  I  trust  my  soul,  too,  was  bathed ; 
received  an  unction  from  on  high  while  I  was  there,  for  which 
I  shall  have  reason  ever  to  bless  and  praise  the  Lord  of 
Hosts." 

Cold  Water  to  a  Thirsty  soul. 

11  Heard  joyful  news  from  "Washington.  The  Lord  is 
pouring  out  his  Spirit  there  in  a  wonderful  manner,  turn 
ing  sinners  to  himself.  Truly  when  I  heard  of  the  in 
stances  of  conversion  there,  I  could  feel  the  force  of  the  ex 
pression  :  *  What  hath  the  Lord  wrought !'  Wednesday, 
spake  in  the  chapel  for  Stoddard.  Read  most  of  the  P.  M. 
in  a  desultory  manner,  to  find  something  to  speak  in  the 
evening  in  the  Society.  Spoke  as  I  did  ;  a  manner  which  I 
am  now  sorry  for  ;  for  I  fear  I  did  not  recollect  the  presence 
of  God.  Came  home  very  late,  studied  a  little,  and  then  to 
bed.  After  spending  a  day  of  —  what  ?  I  accomplished 
something,  to  be  sure  ;  but  what  bearing  my  conduct  had  on 


12  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

the  prosperity  of  Zion,  is  another  question.     Father,  forgive 
my  sins  against  thee." 

Self-examination. 

"  Well,  now,  what  advances  in  holiness  have  I  made  to-day  ? 
What,  added  to  my  knowledge  of  God's  character  and  my 
duties  to  him  ?  How  have  I  improved  the  great  advantages 
I  have  enjoyed  ?  These  are  questions  which  I  must  answer 
at  the  bar  of  my  Maker ;  but,  alas !  what  can  I  say,  but  with 
the  publican,  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  ?  I  fear  I  for 
get  one  thing  too  much :  that  I  ought  to  remember  and  dwell 
upon  the  truths  I  hear  on  the  sabbath,  during  the  week,  and 
not  drive  them  from  my  mind,  like  the  way-side  hearers,  af 
ter  the  sabbath  is  over.  Well,  I  must  repeat  the  prayer,  and 
I  know  it  is  to  the  God  of  mercy  and  love,  '  be  merciful  to 
me/  This  I  must  repeat,  again  and  again,  till  the  end  of  life." 

Backsliding  of  Christians ;  Description  of  the  Heart,  by  Pol- 

lok ;    Original  Lines  added, 

"July  14,  15,  16.  Thursday.— Why  is  it  that  Christians, 
almost  invariably,  become  cold  and  careless  about  the  con 
cerns  of  eternity  ?  Can  it  be  accounted  for  on  any  of  the 
known  principles  of  the  human  mind  ?  But  there  is  a  cause  : 
indwelling  sin  and  corruption  of  the  heart,  which  is  sure  to  get 
the  mastery  if  the  Christian  does  not  continually  watch  unto 
prayer.  But  is  there  any  need  of  this  being  the  case  ?  The 
children  of  the  world  are  wiser  than  the  children  of  light. 
They  do  not  abandon  the  great  objects  they  set  before  them 
till  they  are  obtained.  And  may  not  Christians,  who  have  in 
finitely  higher  motives  before  them,  persevere  unto  the  end, 
till  the  crown  awaiting  them  is  twined  about  their  brows  ? 
Oh  that  the  day  might  speedily  come,  when  this  deathlike 
slumber  shall  no  longer  affect  the  church  of  Christ !  I  here 
insert  Pollok's  true  description  of  the  heart  after  it  is  re 
newed  by  the  spirit  of  God. 


COLLEGE  LIFE.  13 

'  What  seest  thou  here  ?  what  mark'st  ?  observe  it  well : 
Will,  passion,  reason,  hopes,  fears ;  joy,  distress : 
Peace,  turbulence ;  simplicity,  deceit ; 
Good,  ill ;  corruption,  immortality ; 
A  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  yet 
Oft  lodging  fiends  :  the  dwelling  place  of  all 
The  heavenly  virtues— charity  and  truth, 
Humility,  and  holiness,  and  love ; 
And  yet  the  common  haunt  of  anger,  pride, 
Hatred,  revenge,  and  passions  foul  with  lust ; 
Allied  to  heaven,  yet  parleying  oft  with  hell ; 
A  soldier  listed  in  Messiah's  band, 
Yet  giving  quarter  to  Abaddon's  troops ; 
With  seraphs  drinking  from  the  well  of  life, 
And  yet  carousing  in  the  cup  of  death. 
An  heir  of  heaven,  and  walking  thitherward, 
Yet  casting  back  a  covetous  eye  on  earth ; 
Emblem  of  strength  and  weakness ;  loving  now, 
And  now  abhorring  sin ;  indulging  now, 
And  now  repenting  sore ;  rejoicing  now, 
With  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory  ; 
Now  weeping  bitterly,  and  clothed  in  dust ; 
A  man  willing  to  do,  and  doing  not ; 
Doing,  and  willing  not ;  embracing  what 
He  hates,  what  most  he  loves  abandoning. 
Half  saint,  and  sinner  half — half  life,  half  death : 
Commixture  strange  of  heaven,  and  earth,  and  hell." 

"A  true  picture  this,  of  my  heart,  and  the  heart  of  every 
Christian  ;  but  blessed  be  God  that, 

When  the  great  Immanuel  comes 
To  reign  on  earth,  in  all  the  glory  of 
His  Father's  throne,  and  souls  renewed 
And  sanctified  shall  be  like  Him — glorious 
In  holiness,  in  faith,  in  charity,  in  love ; 
And  then  we  shout  the  praises  of  our  Jesus' 
Name,  in  strains  which  men  nor  angels 
Ever  heard :  Glory  to  Him  who  bought  us 
With  His  blood ;  honor,  and  power,  and  praise, 
Immortal  praise,  forever.     Sing  ye 
Heavens,  and  earth,  and  seas ;  burst  forth 
2 


14  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

In  songs  of  glory  to  the  Prince  of  Life, 

Redeemer  of  a  lost  and  ruined  world. 

No  fetters  then,  of  sin,  shall  clog  our  worship : 

From  our  hearts  it  shall  ascend  before  the 

Throne,  Avhere  reigns  the  Savior  God, 

The  King  of  Kings,  the  Lord  of  Lords." 

"Wednesday,  August  31,  1831.— Went  to  meeting  this 
morning  quite  stupid,  but  enjoyed  it  better  than  I  sometimes 
do.  Enjoyed  secret  prayer  much  ;  felt  not  much  elevation  of 
feeling,  but  some  confidence  in  God.  It  does  seem  as  if  I 
made  no  advance  at  all  in  divine  life  ;  as  if  I  wasted  every 
opportunity,  and  abused  every  means  of  growth  in  grace. 
And  yet  I  am  spared,  in  great  mercy,  I  speak,  too,  of  my 
sins  and  God's  mercies  as  carelessly  as  if  they  were  things  of 
no  moment.  When  shall  I  feel  that  God  is  and  must  be  the 
only  source  of  my  joys — the  only  object  of  my  devotion  in  time 
as  well  as  in  eternity  !  When  1  compare  my  feelings  and  my 
conduct  with  my  high  promises,  I  am  ready  to  despair  of  do 
ing  or  being  anything  in  the  cause  of  Christ.  But  well  I  may 
do  so.  To  His  name  be  all  the  praise.  He  alone  can  make 
me  fit  for  anything  but  eternal  banishment  from  his  blessed 
presence.  This  morning  received  a  letter  from  sweet  Amanda, 
containing  both  good  and  bad  news  ;  to  God  be  the  praise  for 
the  first.  There  is  quite  a  revival  in  Medford,  especially 
amongst  the  little  children  in  the  sabbath  school." 

It  is  always  pleasant  to  meet,  and  praise  is  comely  to  the 
,'  Bard  of  Liberty."  We  cannot  deny  the  reader  a  part  of 
the  pleasure  we  had  in  finding  the  extracts  and  criticisms 
which  we  here  give.  The  critique,  though  written  by  a 
young  man  of  eighteen,  is  quite  equal  to  most  of  the  Notes  of 
Johnson  on  Shakspeare. 

"  The  following  beautiful  piece  is  from  the  pen  of  J.  G. 
Whittier,  editor  of  the  New  England  Weekly  Review.  Its 
sublimity  is  worthy  of  Milton. 


COLLEGE  LIFE.  15 


Christ  in  the  Tempest. 

1  Storm  on  the  midnight  waters  ! — The  vast  sky 

Is  stooping  with  its  thunder.     Cloud  on  cloud 

Keels  heavily  in  the  darkness,  like  a  shroud 
Shook  by  some  warning  spirit  from  the  high 
And  terrible  wall  of  heaven.     The  mighty  wave 

Tosses  beneath  its  shadow,  like  the  bold 
Upheavings  of  a  giant  from  the  grave 

Which  bound  him  prematurely  to  its  cold 

And  desolate  bosom.    Lo  !   they  mingle  now — 
Tempest  and  heaving  wave,  along  whose  brow 

Trembles  the  lightning  from  its  thick  cloud  fold ! 

******         ** 
He  stood  upon  the  reeling  deck — his  form 

Made  visible  by  the  lightning ;  and  his  brow 
Uncovered  to  the  visiting  of  the  storm, 

Told  of  a  triumph  man  may  never  know — 
Power  underived  and  mighty:   PEACE  !   BE  STILL  !" 

The  great  waves  heard  him,  and  the  storm's  loud  tone 
Went  moaning  into  silence,  at  his  will ; 

And  the  thick  clouds,  where  yet  the  lightning  shone 

And  slept  the  latent  thunder,  rolled  away, 
Until  no  trace  of  tempest  lurked  behind ; 
Changing  upon  the  pinions  of  the  wind 

To  houseless  wanderers,  beautiful  and  gay. 

Dread  ruler  of  the  tempest !  Thou  before 
Whose  presence  boweth  the  uprisen  storm — 

To  vrhom  the  waves  do  homage,  round  the  shore 
Of  many  an  island  empire !— if  the  form 

Of  the  frail  dust  beneath  thine  eye,  may  claim 

Thy  infinite  regard — oh  !  breathe  upon 

The  storm  and  darkness  of  man's  soul  the  same 
Quiet  and  peace  and  humbleness,  which  came 

O'er  the  roused  waters,  where  thy  voice  had  gone — 
A  minister  of  power — to  conquer  in  thy  name  !' 

"  Indeed  this  is  a  most  beautiful  piece.  The  sublimity  of 
the  second  and  third  stanzas  exceeds  almost  anything  of  the 
kind  that  I  ever  read.  It  consists  in  the  simplicity  of  the  ex- 


16  MEMOIR  OF    TORREY. 

pressions  and  the  elevation  of  the  subject,  the  want  of  all 
those  high-sounding  epithets  and  adjectives  with  which  our  best 
poets  are  too  apt  to  disfigure  their  pages.  The  scene  is  one 
of  the  noblest  ever  described  by  the  poet  or  painter,  the  exhi 
bition  of  almighty  poiver  in  calming  the  tempest.  I  should 
like  much  to  see  Raphael's  painting  of  the  scene,  said  to  be 
his  best  production." 

A   College  Incident. —  Criticism  on  Aristotle. 
"  Yesterday  morning  some  ninny  locked  the  door  of  our  re 
citation  room :   So  we  adjourned,  whereat  Tutor seemed 

as  pleased  as  any  of  us.     Not  so  tutor  D ,  our  Tutor.     He 

was  most  grievously  offended  ;  for,  as  he  said,  he  was  anxious 
to  report  his  division  to  the  faculty  as  proceeding  orderly  and 
successfully  in  their  studies,  etc.  But  this  he  could  not  do,  if 
we  locked  the  door  to  avoid  recitation ;  and  accordingly,  he 
directed  us  to  get  a  double  lesson !  Magnanimous  man  ! 
We  have,  for  a  few  days  past,  been  reading  Aristotle  on 
Magnanimity,  etc.  But  in  my  humble  opinion,  all  that  he  says 
on  the  subject,  would  be  esteemed  folly,  if  it  was  not  sanc 
tioned  by  antiquity ;  all  his  arguments  and  conclusions, 
founded  on  suppositions,  rather  than  on  fixed  principles. 
However,  if  I  should  assert  this  in  Salamanca,  I  doubt  not 
that  I  should  be  burnt  for  heresy  ;  or  at  least  considered  as  a 
blind  ass,  who  could  not  see  the  sense  in  metaphysical  distinc 
tion  between  things  precisely  alike.  Aristotle's  magnanim 
ity  is,  as  he  defines  it,  a  good  opinion  of  one's  own  merits  ; 
that  is,  self-sufficiency.  Mine  is  of  a  very  different  order. 
To  be  sure,  I  think  sufficiently  well  of  my  own  transcendant 
merits  ;  but  in  this  I  see  no  magnanimity.  Magnanimity  is 
rather  elevation  of  mind,  of  opinion,  and  sentiment,  and  ambi 
tion  to  be  great  by  being  good, — an  expansion  of  mind.  His 
observations  concerning  friendship,  are  far  more  just;  but 
though,  when  written,  they  were  original,  they  would  now 
seem  dull  and  common-place." 


COLLEGE  LIFE.  17 

Birth-Day  Reflections. — Poetry. 

«  Monday,  November  21,  1831.— My  birth-day.  This  day 
I  have  completed  my  18th  year.  Eighteen  years  of  sin  and 
folly ;  eighteen  years  have  I  enjoyed  the  rich  blessings  of 
heaven  ;  friends  have  been  given  me,  and  all  that  could  ren 
der  life  desirable.  And  I  know  that  in  reference  to  my 
Maker,  my  feelings  have  been  and  are  different.  However 
much  I  have  wandered  from  God,  however  cold  and  stupid  I 
am,  still  his  house  is  a  place  I  love,  in  his  service  I  find  all 
the  enjoyment  I  obtain.  In  his  name  1  delight  to  speak  and 
hear,  and  to  his  service  I  am  devoted.  In  his  cause  I  will 
spend  my  life,  my  all.  I  have  even,  I  believe,  been  enabled 
to  do  a  little  in  his  cause.  But  what  is  it,  compared  with 
my  duty  and  opportunities?  Nothing.  I  have  neglected 
many  of  my  best  opportunities  of  serving  him,  and  very  illy 
improved  the  small  remainder.  And  when  I  compare  the 
slow  advances  I  have  made  in  divine  knowledge,  and  the  un 
holy  life  I  have  lived  with  the  requirements  of  Jesus,  I  am 
ashamed  and  ready  to  ask,  what  is  to  become  of  such  a  sin 
ner  ?  In  a  season  of  peculiar  enjoyment  of  the  presence  of 
God,  I  resolved  I  would  never,  by  his  aid,  doubt  that  I  had 
been  renewed  by  his  grace.  And  notwithstanding  my  cold 
ness,  I  see  no  reason  to  give  up,  and  distrust  God.  The 
negligence  of  duty  which  I  indulge  in,  ought  to  humble  me 
deeply,  but  may  God  preserve  me  from  doubting  him.  Give 
me  the  deepest  distrust  of  self,  and  reliance  on  thy  will.  O 
may  I  not,  any  more,  dishonor  God  by  neglecting  him  as  I 
have  done.  I  have  deeply  offended  him  ;  prayer  I  have  often, 
especially  lately,  neglected.  I  have  not  studied  the  Bible  as 
I  should.  I  think  very  little  of  my  duty  to  him ;  very  little 
of  his  love.  In  meetings  I  become  excited,  usually ;  but  it 
has  little  permanent  effect  upon  my  conduct.  I  abuse  the 
privileges  he  has  given  me  to  grow  in  grace.  I  have  thought 
little,  done  less.  Have  mercy,  Lord,  for  Jesus'  sake,  upon  me, 
2* 


18  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

a  guilty  sinner.  I  have  acquired  some  knowledge  of  the 
heart  and  its  operations  ;  some  little  experience  in  the  prac 
tical  duties  of  religion.  Have  had,  recently,  some  struggles 
with  the  corrupt  passions  of  my  heart,  which  almost  overcame 
rae.  Vile  thoughts,  especially,  have  led  away  my  affections 
from  God.  May  he  have  mercy  on  me,  according  to  the  ex 
ceeding  riches  of  his  own  tender  mercies,  which  are  neither  few 
nor  small,  as  I  can  see.  Thanks  be  unto  the  Lord  for  his 
great  goodness  to  us,  the  sinful  children  of  men.  Out  of  his 
mercies  to  men,  he  has  given  us  a  great  share.  And  how 
little  of  gratitude  is  there  in  our  hearts.  How  many  causes 
have  we  for  humiliation,  that  we  have  so  much  abused  the 
goodness  of  our  God ;  that  our  national  faith  has  been  vio 
lated  ;  and  the  cause  of  God  suffered  so  much  from  the  bit 
terness  of  party  strife ;  so  little  done  to  promote  his  glory. 
But  still  give, 

Thanks  to  the  Lord  above 
For  all  his  mercies  shown ; 
Praise  him  for  his  heavenly  love, 
And  make  his  goodness  known. 

Favored  by  His  fostering  care, 

Our  sails  are  whitening  every  sea; 

Wealth  have  they  brought,  and  fruits  and  flowers, 

And  spices  sweet  from  Araby. 

The  Heralds  of  the  cross  have  gone, 
The  '  Love  of  Jesus'  to  proclaim ; 
To  shout  aloud :    '  A  Savior's  born  ! 
Angels  and  men  adore  his  name  !' 

The  islands  of  the  sea  have  heard 
The  music  of  the  heavenly  choir ; 
In  Pagan  hearts  the  Heavenly  dove 
Has  kindled  love — th'  immortal  fire ! 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  has  come, 
And  breathed  upon  the  stony  heart; 
And  many  thousands  gathered  Home, 
From  their  Redeemer  ne'er  to  part. 


COLLEGE  LIFE.  19 

Plenty  has  crowned  the  circling  year, 
The  hand  of  industry  was  blessed ; 
And,  free  from  strife,  and  free  from  fear, 
Our  land  has  been  a  heavenly  rest. 
Oh  Lord,  forgive  our  sinful  ways, 
And  teach  our  sinful  hearts  to  praise ; 
Let  all  the  earth,  and  all  above, 
Now  bless  thy  mercy,  truth,  and  love." 

Interest  in  the  subject  of  Missions. 

"March  13,  1832.  Monday. — Thursday,  Friday,  and  Sat 
urday,  was  quite  fully  occupied  in  removing,  getting  regu 
lated,  etc.  Thursday  evening  joined  the  missionary  circle, 
solemnly  devoting  myself  to  this  sacred  cause,  trusting  in  the 
Lord  to  sustain  me  in  this  determination.  Enjoyed  the  meet 
ing  very  much ;  felt  more  determined  to  be  devoted  to  God 
than  I  had  for  a  long  time  past,  Friday  evening — College 
prayer  meeting;  very  excellent.  Some  of  the  brethren 
seemed  to  be  a  little  revived  ;  oh  how  little.  Much  do  we 
need  the  reviving  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  Little  do 
we  to  obtain  it." 

Mourning  for  Sin. 

"  Sabbath,  July  29,  1831. — Have  sinned  much  within  a 
few  days  past,  in  unholy  thoughts,  desires,  and  actions.  It 
seems  to  have  giant  power  over  me  ;  and  I  have  indeed  felt 
a  little  of  the  misery  of  a  body  of  sin  and  death,  and  the  need 
of  a  Savior  who  is  mighty  to  deliver  out  of  every  device  of 
the  evil  one,  and  from  the  deceits  and  vileness  of  my  own 
heart,  which  is  indeed  a  sink  of  iniquity.  I  wonder  not  at 
the  declaration  of  the  Bible,  that  *  the  hearts  of  the  sons  of 
men  are  set  in  them  to  do  iniquity,'  to  do  only  evil  continually. 
It  seems  as  though  I  needed  all  my  time  to  repent  in.  I 
trust  1  shall  be  benefited  by  the  word  of  God  preached  to-day ; 
that,  seeing  the  evil  of  sinning  against  God,  and  the  free- 


20  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

ness  of  the  justifying  grace  of  God,  I  may  not  dare  or  desire 
to  pursue  a  course  of  sin  another  day.  I  find  my  resolutions 
broken  nearly  as  soon  as  formed,  my  purposes  of  holy  obe 
dience  turned  aside  by  my  lusts,  and  my  soul  in  misery : 
my  mind  ill  at  ease,  my  heart  full  of  bitterness,  chiefly 
through  the  procrastinating  habits  which  I  have  formed,  and 
my  wasting  more  than  half  my  time.  Of  this  aunt  Mary 
warned  me,  as  she  did  in  relation  to  prudence  and  the  care  of 
my  health,  the  last  time  1  ever  saw  her.  May  I  be  led  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  to  constant  and  active  obedience,  from  now 
henceforth  and  forever,  for  the  sake  of  the  atoning  sacrifice." 

Shooting. 

"  Took  up  a  gun  the  first  time  for  two  years ;  found  my 
skill  at  murder  about  as  great  as  formerly  ;  the  exercise  of  my 
body  did  me  good ;  the  exercise  of  my  moral  feelings,  while 
thus  engaged,  was  perhaps  of  much  more  questionable  utility. 
I  am  not  fully  persuaded  that  '  shooting'  is  proper  for  a 
Christian  or  any  one  else.  Its  influence  on  the  moral  sense 
is  the  most  objectionable  part  of  it ;  the  cruelty  of  it  is  an 
other  objection,  though  it  may  be  necessary,  as  for  instance 
shooting  destructive  animals." 

Creature  expectations  disappointed. 

"  I  went  to  Carmel,  not  primarily  to  glorify  God,  but  to 
see  a  young  lady ;  of  course  I  was  disappointed  in  every  re 
spect.  I  may  have  done  good  while  there.  Doane  did,  I 
know.  Since  we  returned,  he  has  received  a  letter  from 
there.  We  had  considerable  conversation  about  drinking  tea 
and  coffee ;  the  girls  talked  it  over,  and  asked  their  father  if 
he  would  devote  the  sum  they  usually  expended  for  tea,  cof 
fee,  etc.,  to  the  missionary  cause.  He  agreed,  if  they  would 
leave  off  tea  and  coffee,  to  give  them  five  dollars  apiece  an 
nually,  for  that  object,  tie  will  probably  give  nearly  thirty 


COLLEGE  LIFE.  21 

dollars,  if  not  more,  in  consequence.  So  much  saved  from 
sensual  indulgences  to  the  cause  of  Christ !  Query  ?  Can't  / 
save  more  for  it  ?" 

Procrastination. — Struggles  against  it. 
"  The  time  I  spent  at  West  Haven  was  beneficially  spent 
in  several  respects ;  but  laziness  and  neglect  of  prayer  fol 
lowed  me ;  so  have  they  done  all  this  term,  though  I  have 
prayed  more  than  usual ;  have,  I  believe,  felt  more  interest 
in  missions  and  in  religion  in  every  shape  than  I  ever  did  be 
fore  ;  yet  it  appears  to  me  I  have  sinned  more  than  I  ever 
did ;  I  have  hardly  made  one  effort  to  warm  the  heart  of  one 
Christian,  or  to  convert  one  sinner.  *  My  works  do  follow  me/ 
I  have  not  had  enjoyment,  except  now  and  then  a  day,  or  a 
few  hours  ;  and  then  I  have  fallen  into  sin.  Procrastination 
has  been  my  ruin.  The  habit  of  reading  newspapers  in  the 
morning,  when  I  should  have  been  praying,  has  been  a  seri 
ous  injury  to  me.  I  have  begun  many  things,  but  have  fin 
ished  very  little,  through  indolence  and  sin.  My  God,  have 
thou  mercy  upon  me !  I  do  desire  to  make  one  effort  to 
break  off  my  habits  of  procrastination  ;  to  be  punctual  in  all 
things,  to  be  holy  in  all  things.  This  term  very  many  in 
teresting  things  and  circumstances  have  taken  place  or  come 
to  my  knowledge ;  but  many  of  them  I  must  leave  unwritten." 

Early  Views  of  Human  Government. 
"  I  love  the  principles  of  a  republic,  because  they  are 
those  of  religion  applied  to  the  science  of  government.  Re 
ligion  recognizes  nothing  arbitrary,  no  despotic  power  over 
the  conduct  of  men  ;  it  aims  only  to  draw  them  by  the 
power  of  motive.  So  does  a  republic  of  Religion ;  unfolds 
to  man  his  true  dignity,  and  proclaims  him  a  freeraan ;  lays 
the  foundation  of  social  order  in  the  mutual  wants  of  men.  A 
republic  is  but  an  expression  of  the  same  views  applied  to 
the  general  purposes  of  government.  The  reward  of  religion 


22  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

in  this  world  is  found  chiefly  in  the  consciousness  of  rectitude 
and  in  mental  enjoyment.  In  a  republic,  the  praise  of  having 
benefited  others,  of  having  done  well,  is  the  chief  reward  of 
him  who  serves  his  country,  together  with  the  mental  and  be 
nevolent  pleasures  arising  from  rectitude  of  motive  and  action. 
Religion  proposes  to  man  to  act  for  the  highest  good  of  the 
world.  A  republic  addresses  no  man  with  prospects  of  per 
sonal  aggrandizement,  but  asks  the  services  of  men  who  will 
act  for  their  country's  good,  and  that  alone.  That  other  mo 
tives  do  not  have  their  influence,  and  far  more  than  their 
proper  influence,  none  will  deny.  But  the  principles  of  the 
government  hold  out  no  such  motives  to  any  man.  They 
speak  but  the  united  voice  of  reason  and  Scripture  :  '  Love 
thy  neighbor  as  thyself/  the  golden  rule  of  human  action. 

"  It  is  frequently  said  that  until  men  are  enlightened,  edu 
cated,  etc.,  they  require  the  strong  arm  of  monarchical,  power 
to  restrain  the  outbreakings  of  sinful  passion.  This  remark 
includes  a  tacit  acknowledgment  that  the  principles  of  mon 
archies  are  vitally  wrong ;  and  contains  other  fallacies:  1st, 
that  men  may  be  degraded,  and  be  incapable  of  being  moved 
and  governed  by  moral  power  alone  ;  which  the  missionaries 
of  the  cross  have  demonstrated  to  be  untrue,  within  ten  years 
past.  2d.  It  takes  for  granted  two  things  ;  first,  that  a  mon 
archy  has  more  means  of  repressing  violence  than  a  republic, 
(at  least,  a  doubtful  assertion,)  and  second,  that  a  govern 
ment  adapted  to  man's  social  capacities,  and  fitted  to  secure 
his  attachment,  will  have  less  power  over  its  citizens,  than 
one  (monarchy,  which  the  assertion  grants  to  be)  founded  up 
on  men's  fears" 

Late  Rising. 

"  Sabbath,  August  5,  1832. — Sat  up  late  last  evening, 
studying  and  washing  myself.  Hence  I  laid  till  nearly  eight 
this  morning,  a  very  bad  practice,  which  I  do  now  resolve  to 
break  off  at  once  ;  I  must  retire  earlier,  lesson  or  no  lesson. 


COLLEGE  LIFE.  23 

I  waste  time  enough  to  do  twice  as  much  as  I  do  generally. 
Forgive  me,  Lord,  my  master.  Help  me  to  be  diligent  in  thy 
service,  and  fervent  in  spirit.  I  will  record  the  good  deeds 
of  God — that  while  I  have  sinned,  wasted  my  time,  put  off 
and  neglected  prayer,  and  his  word,  and  done  nothing  for 
him,  yet  he  has  granted  me  some  sense  of  my  sinfulness,  and 
several  sweet  seasons  of  communion  with  Him.  He  has  not 
taken  from  me  his  Holy  Spirit ;  my  cup  has  run  over  with 
undeserved  blessings. 

Prayer,  and  Interest  in  Missions. 

"  The  prayer  meetings  are  attended  with  increased  interest, 
for  Christians  are  beginning  to  recognize  the  truth  that  prayer 
is  to  effect  something,  or  it  is  not  prayer ;  some  in  college 
are  awake ;  I  trust  more  will  awake  before  the  term  closes  (a 
week  from  Wednesday).  I  have  little  doubt  that  there  will 
be  a  powerful  revival  here  next  term,  or  before.  God  grant  it. 

There  is  more  piety  in  the  theological  school  than  there 
ever  has  been  before.  Tutor  Stevens's  departure  seems  to 
have  taken  hold  of  them  ;  and  I  hope  it  may  lead  not  a  few 
of  them  to  leave  father  and  mother,  wife  and  children,  and 
follow  him,  or  rather  follow  their  Master,  to  China ;  so  that 
a  constant,  annual  stream  shall  flow  over  that  vast  empire,  to 
elevate  and  sanctify  the  mass  of  mind  there  assembled.  If 
Tale  College  would  adopt  China  with  its  350  millions,  and 
take  up  the  work  of  converting  it  to  God,  as  a  business  to  be 
effected  by  the  instrumentality  of  its  students,  surely  the  work 
would  be  effected;  God  would  be  glorified  in  the  salvation  of 
that  empire,  and  the  earth  would  feel  and  see  that  our  Lord 
was  God  indeed !" 

The  above  extracts,  taken  from  the  diary  of  Mr.  T.,  are 
sufficient  to  show  the  character  of  his  feelings  while  in  col 
lege.  Much  of  his  writings  at  this  period,  consist  of  notes 


24  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

taken  from  the  sermons  he  heard  on  the  Sabbath,  and  other 
lectures  from  the  Professors  at  Yale. 

Though  a  very  good  classical  scholar,  he  was  never  a  hard 
student.  He  acquired,  however,  a  great  amount  of  know 
ledge  on  a  great  variety  of  subjects.  Nor  let  the  reader  sup 
pose  this  was  accomplished  without  labor.  He  was  versatile, 
turning  easily  from  one  thing  to  another ;  quickly  grasping 
what  he  supposed  might  be  known  of  one  subject,  he  has 
tened  to  lay  hands  on  something  new. 


CHAPTER    III. 

SCHOOL-KEEPING. 

Mr.  Torrey  went  from  college  to  that  transition-state  of 
existence  for  professional  men,  school-keeping. 

How  the  course  of  life  ran  with  him  here,  his  own  record 
shows.  There  is  here  given : — A  young  man  of  great  literary 
acquisition,  little  knowledge  of  the  world,  unused  to  govern 
or  be  governed :  will  he  make  a  schoolmaster  ?  The  unruly 
boys  and  fond  parents  will  work  out  this  problem.  Let  us 
see  how  the  subject  of  the  experiment  bears  himself  while  in 
the  crucible. 

«  Chelsea,  Sabbath,  Oct.  20, 1833.  After  the  lapse  of  al 
most  two  years,  preserved  by  the  long-suffering  and  kindness 
of  God,  I  resume  my  journal.  God  make  it  a  means  of  im 
provement  to  me,  both  in  humble  devotion  to  his  service  and 
intellect.  Since  I  last  was  here,  I  have  completed  my  college 
conrse ;  left  that  fair  city,  where  I  have  spent  so  many  hap 
py  hours,  and  where  first  the  Spirit  of  God  shed  his  holy  in 
fluences  abroad  in  my  heart.  There,  notwithstanding  all  my 
sins,  God  provided  me  with  friends  dear  to  my  heart  both 
from  their  intellectual  and  religious  character.  Though  I 


SCHOOL-KEEPING.  25 

did  not  improve  my  advantages  as  I  should,  while  there, 
though  I  now  feel  my  consequent  mental  weakness,  and 
though  I  have  a  few  dear  friends  there,  yet  I  do  not  on  the 
whole  regret  leaving  New  Haven  and  old  Yale.  I  have  other 
objects  and  scenes  before  me,  calling  for  all  my  time  and  at 
tention.  Have  enjoyed  many  pleasures  since  I  returned  from 
New  Haven.  When  I  arrived  here,  the  two  Misses  S. 
were  here,  with  whom  I  enjoyed  many  pleasant  hours.  After 
a  short  visit  at  Scituate,  I  went  to  Salem,  where  I  again  saw 
them  and  their  sister  C.  Went  on  to  Hamilton.  The  next 
morning  went  on  to  Ipswich,  where  I  had  a  long  interview 
with  Miss  Grant,  on  the  subject  of  teaching,  and  gained  many 
valuable  hints  from  her.  Went  on  to  Newburyport.  Passed  the 
afternoon  and  evening  at  Mr.  D.'s.  The  next  morning  went  over 
to  Exeter.  Saw  old  friends.  Returned  to  Amesbury  in  the 
afternoon  ;  supped  with  old  uncle  Currier.  In  the  night  rode 
on  to  Hamilton.  Put  up  my  horse  in  Mr.  P.'s  barn,  and 
failing  to  wake  them,  I  couched  on  the  hay-mow  very  pleas 
antly  till  daylight,  when  the  folks  were  up.  Came  on  to  Sa 
lem.  Spent  the  afternoon  in  the  East  India  museum,  with 
the  Misses  S.  In  the  evening  returned  home.  The  next 
Thursday  I  went  to  Scituate,  where  I  tarried  working  hard 
most  of  the  time  till  last  Tuesday,  when  I  returned  to  this 
place.  Last  evening  went  to  Medford  and  Mr.  Osgood's, 
Charlestown.  To-morrow  I  leave  this  for  West  Brookfield, 
to  take  upon  myself  the  responsible  office  of  teacher  in  the 
Female  Seminary." 

"  West  Brookfield,  Wednesday,  24th,  1833.— On  the  scene 
of  my  future  labors  safe  and  well,  through  the  kindness  of 
God.  Left  Boston  on  Monday  morning,  1  o'clock,  in  the 
mail  stage.  Rode  on  in  sleepy  but  sleepless  silence  to  Fra- 
mingham,  which  place  we  reached  about  5  o'clock.  Some  of 
us  broke  our  fast,  and  at  six,  when  we  started,  notwithstand 
ing  the  rainy,  murky  weather  and  close  stage,  there  was  light 
enough  to  see  each  other's  faces.  Rev.  Mr.  Pierpoint  of  B. 
3 


26  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

and  a  very  intelligent  gentleman  from  Pittsfield  were  among 
the  passengers,  from  whose  conversation  I  derived  much  in 
formation  : — Depth  of  loam  in  Grand  Prairie  10  ft,,  very  much 
like  a  couch  for  softness,  being,  in  fact,  only  decayed  vegetable 
fibre ;  then  some  clay  ;  then  a  stratum  of  limestone  about  8 
inches  thick ;  beneath  which  was  an  immense  and  thick  de 
posit  of  ancient  trees,  the  remains  of  some  primeval  forest ; 
then  gravel  and  water.  I  am  not  quite  sure  the  clay  was  not 
below  the  trees.  From  the  conversation  of  both  gentlemen, 
I  derived  much  information  in  regard  to  our  public  men, 
both  living  and  dead.  Limestone  and  sandstone,  boulders  of 
granite,  scattered  on  the  surface  in  Western  States.  At  Ba 
ton  Rouge,  first  from  Gulf  up  the  river.  Immense  size  of 
corn  and  vegetation  generally — 11  feet — kind,  between  Vir 
ginia  yellow  and  Carolina  white.  Reached  Worcester  at  9  ; 
South  Brookfield  at  1,  where  we  dined ;  this  place  at  2. 
Stopped  at  Mr.  Newell's,  and  here  I  am  at  the  present  time. 
Same  evening  was  introduced  to  Mr.  Horton  the  minister, 
with  whom,  in  two  days,  I  have  become  quite  acquainted. 
Though  not  one  of  the.  Trustees,  he  does  <  more  than  they  allr 
for  the  Seminary,  and  now  interests  himself  much  in  its  pros 
perity,  making  active  exertions  to  secure  scholars,  etc.  Was 
unwell  Monday  night ;  kindly  nursed  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  N. 
Have  received  every  attention  from  them.  They  are  admi 
rable,  both  of  them ;  as  a  man  and  woman  intelligent,  un 
usually  so,  and  sincerely  pious,  very  amiable.  Yesterday 
was  the  anniversary  of  the  Worcester  South  A.  Miss.  Soc., 
celebrated  here  ;  rainy  day  ;  comparatively  few  attended  ; 
but  those  were  delighted,  I  doubt  not.  Have  a  sketch  of  the 
addresses  ;  must  write  it  to-morrow,  before  it  grows  colder. 
Have  spent  much  time,  yesterday  and  to-day,  making  ar 
rangements,  conversing  with  Trustees,  etc.,  about  the  school." 
"  Thursday  25th,  Friday  26th,  Saturday  27th. — Making 
arrangements  to  commence  school  on  Wednesday  next,  con 
versing  with  Trustees,  concocting  advertisements,  reading, 


SCHOOL-KEEPING.  27 

writing,  etc.  Yesterday,  rode  to  Western  with  Mr.  Horton. 
Sabbath,  28. — Mr.  Stone,  of  South  BrookfieU,  preached  in 
the  evening.  Mr.  Horton  read  from  the  report  of  the  General 
Association,  and  made  remarks.  I,  for  the  first  time,  made  a 
tew.  Lecture  for  me  Wednesday.  Monday,  29th. — Meeting 
of  the  Trustees.  Was  elected  Principal  of  the  Seminary. 
Have  not  made  conditions  on  which  to  engage.  Had  con 
siderable  conversation  with  the  Trustees." 

"  Now  for  some  ideas  for  my  Lecture  on  Education.  The 
true  and  only  proper  end  of  education  is  to  train  the  soul  for 
an  eternal  existence ;  to  train  the  intellect  and  the  passions, 
the  whole  man,  for  eternity.  It  is  to  teach  the  young  immor 
tal  to  think  clearly,  correctly,  to  feel  aright,  and  to  act  aright, 
in  time  and  in  eternity.  An  impression  made  upon  a  child  is 
made  upon  mind,  and  is  to  endure  while  mind  endures.  No 
matter  what  the  impression  is,  eternity  cannot  efface  it.  The 
want  of  definite  ideas,  upon  the  most  common  subjects  of  con 
versation.  By  this  every  intelligent  teacher  is  continually 
tormented.  Remedy:  be  sure  the  child  understands,  etc. 

"  Wednesday  eve,  Oct.  31. — Delivered  a  Lecture  on  the 
above  topics,  about  an  hour  long,  to  a  room  full,  in  the  Semi 
nary.  Mr.  Horton  made  a  few  remarks. 

"  In  the  forenoon,  about  10,  commenced  school  with  Jive  ! 
pupils  ! ! ! ! !  Courage  !  afternoon,  six  !  Spent  most  of  the 
time  in  examining  them  on  various  matters. 

"  Saturday,  Nov.  3. — School,  same ;  a  little  more  regular. 
P.  M.,  most  of  the  time  at  Mr.  Newell's  and  the  Bookstore. 
This  evening,  spent  a  few  minutes  in  a  little  prayer  meeting 
at  Mr.  G.'s;  went  in  late;  very  pleasant."' 

"  1834,  Jan.  5. — Communion  Sabbath.  What  have  I  been 
doing  all  this  time  1  God  has  blessed  me  infinitely  beyond 
my  deservings.  My  school  has  increased  to  twenty ;  and 
though  it  has  tried  my  patience,  and  I  have  been  discouraged 
by  my  small  number  and  want  of  success  in  several  respects, 


28  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

yet  on  the  whole  it  has  been  to  me  a  source  of  happiness.  It 
has  afforded  me  constant  employment — a  great  blessing; 
regular  also.  I  have  not  secured  the  affection  of  all  the 
pupils,  though  in  most  cases  I  think  I  have." 

"Feb.  21,  Friday. — Have  for  a  long  period  omitted  any 
record  of  passing  events ;  a  record  which,  as  far  as  my  soul 
is  concerned,  would  have  been  one  of  shame  and  vileness  in 
departing  from  my  God ;  and,  as  far  as  my  temporal  matters 
are  concerned,  one  of  disappointment  and  almost  pecuniary  em 
barrassment  ;  for  at  this  moment  I  have  not  one  cent  on  hand ; 
the  number  of  pupils  small ;  some  considerable  debts  ;  and  I 
hardly  know  what  prospects,  as  to  the  future,  I  may  expect. 
In  truth,  I  have  been,  for  some  time  past,  quite  discouraged, 
having  no  rational  prospects  of  better  times.  Sure  now,  it  is 
hoping  against  hope,  to  suppose  I  shall  prosper  in  my  school. 
But  if  I  do  not,  I  know  not  what  I  shall  do.  I  know  not 
where  to  look  for  resources  to  pay  my  debts." 

Hark!  ye  law- makers, 

Here  is  the  voice  of  experience. 

"  I  am  afraid  I  spoke  in  too  loud  a  tone,  when  I  made  the 
law.  I  am  not  sober  enough,  jest  too  much  ;  and  '  foolish 
talking  and  jesting'  are  always  attended  by  their  appropriate 
reward,  as  far  as  I  know.  I  must  take  immediate  measures 
to  remedy  the  evil.  It  produces  disorder  and  vexation  to  me 
and  the  pupils." 

Young  Human  Nature. 

"  Tuesday. — All  things  as  usual.  E.  B.  very  roguish  yet ; 
his  roguery — contortions  of  the  face ;  moving  round  ;  seeing 
and  laughing  at  every  movement  another  makes ;  cutting  and 
scratching  slate-pencil,  bench,  or  book,  or  anything  in  his 
way  ;  whispering  every  convenient  opportunity,  and  stoutly 
denying  his  misdeeds,  when  brought  up  for  them." 


SCHOOL-KEEPING.  29 

A  steady  rein  makes  a  gentle  horse. 

u  Unless  I  insist  upon  exact  obedience,  greater  and  greater 
liberties  will  be  taken,  until  obedience  is  at  an  end, 

"  It  seems  to  me  wrong,  or  rather  injurious,  to  reprove  one 
for  general  misconduct,  even  if  it  be  manifest,  without  some 
specific  instance  of  transgression.  It  affords  them  a  shelter 
from  reproof.  My  difficulties  out  of  school  have  affected  my 
countenance  and  tone  in  school  too  often,  rendering  me,  I  fear, 
a  little  irritable.  Indeed,  for  weeks  past,  my  countenance 
has  been  sad,  if  not  gloomy,  even  if  my  feelings  have  been 
otherwise. 

"  Thursday,  20th. — Found  it  necessary  to  speak,  in  the 
most  decided  terms,  of  playing  in  the  Seminary  and  ringing 
the  bell ;  both  of  them  crying  or  brawling  evils.  What  will 
be  the  effect,  I  cannot  say.  Oh  that  I  and  mine  feared  God 
more  ;  then  would  they  not  need  to  be  watched  and  warned." 
•'  Friday,  21st., — No  more  new  pupils,  nor  am  I  likely  to  have 
any,  as  far  as  I  know,  except  fiv^e  males  or  so.  Womankind 
avoid  me.  Eh  !  well — bien  ;  be  it  so.  Then  I'll  close  school 
and  go  to  work  to  pay  my  debts.  What  I  shall  do,  God 
knoweth,  I  do  not.  Am  I  young  and  unmarried,  so  that 
the  female  part  of  the  creation  fear  me,  or  something  else ! 
So  it  is  said.  Is  it  my  fault  that  I  am  not  as  old  as  Methu 
selah?  How  can  I  help  my  youth  ?  I  would  not,  if  I  could. 
But  alas !  the  way  to  China  seems  hedged  up  with  difficul 
ties.  What  shall  I  do  ? 

"  There  are  two  rocks  here.  If  pupils  are  treated  as 
though  you  expected  them  to  do  wrong,  they  will  be  sure  not 
to  disappoint  you  ;  all  manner  of  evils  will  abound  the  mo 
ment  your  back  is  turned,  often  before  your  face.  The  other 
is,  that  a  few  will  always  abuse  the  confidence  you  place  in 
them  ;  and  the  example  of  a  few  will  infect  others  ;  till,  if  the 
teacher  lacks  in  decision  and  watchfulness,  his  authority  will 
3* 


30  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

be  trampled  upon,  and  he  himself  despised  for  his  '  easy  good 
nature/ 

"  As  a  general  remark,  correcting  individual  errors  in  pub 
lic,  has  but  little  beneficial  effect,  either  upon  the  guilty  or 
others. 

"  A  growing  levity  in  some,  leads  me  to  see  my  faults  and 
their  consequences. 

"  It  requires  more  wisdom  to  censure  so  as  to  reclaim  the 
offender  and  retain  the  good  will  of  others,  than  it  does  to 
flatter  and  praise  a  month." 

This  experiment  of  school-keeping  is  drawing  to  a  close. 
How  the  young  man  of  talents  and  ignorant  of  the  way  to 
govern,  struggled  and  breasted  the  storm  gathering  around 
him,  we  can  only  see  through  the  clouds  darkly.  But  of  all 
the  ships  for  young  navigators  to  steer  o'er  the  troubled  waves 
of  life,  none  is  more  difficult  than  this  same  "  select  school" 
of  special  rogues  and  premature  misses,  sent  not  to  be  gov 
erned  and  taught,  but  to  put  on  airs  and  patronize  the  teacher 
and  encourage  the  school.  See  how  he  turns  the  bitter  wa 
ters  of  disappointment  into  the  gold  dust  of  treasured  expe 
rience.  This  is  the  right  use  of  the  "  means  of  grace." 

"  But  the  result  of  my  school-projects  is  uncertain.  Per 
haps  I  need  the  stern  trial  of  poverty  to  compel  me  to  learn 
that  prudence  which  nothing  else  has,  in  time  past,  taught  me. 
It  may  be  that  present  difficulties  and  struggles  will  be  the 
blessed  means  of  preparing  me  to  labor  efficiently  in  the  vine 
yard  of  the  Lord. 

"  About  every  difficulty  originates  either  in  my  ignorance 
of  human  nature,  or  in  want  of  self-control,  which  is  never 
taught  except  at  home." 

"  Sabbath,  March  2, 1834. — Solemn  sermon  this  forenoon  ; 
text,  <  What  do  ye  more  than  others  ?'  i.  e.  to  prove  your  claim 


SCHOOL-KEEPING.  31 

to  the  character  of  Christ's  disciples ;  to  prove,  that  sin  does 
not  rule  you  still?  What  I  do,  I  can  hardly  say,  but  that  now 
and  then  I  struggle  feebly  with  my  chain,  arid  then  it  seems 
riveted  more  firmly  than  ever.  Oh !  for  relief  from  the  chain 
of  sin.  I  know  the  fountain  is  open  in  which  its  links  will 
melt  away. 

"Have  fully  determined  to  leave  West  Brookfield  im 
mediately,  for  sufficient  reasons.  Very  beautiful  and  brilliant 
rain-bow  last  night,  after  a  rainy  day.  Its  brilliancy  in 
creased  to  the  utmost  degree  of  splendor,  exhibiting  a  double 
bow  by  reflection  ;  then  its  brilliancy  faded  till  almost  extin 
guished  ;  and,  as  the  sun  was  in  the  act  of  setting,  it  lighted 
up  as  distinctly,  and  almost  as  vividly,  as  ever.  I  noted, 
what  I  never  saw  before,  a  circle  of  red  light,  quite  distinct, 
within  the  indigo  circle,  whether  from  double  refraction  or 
difference  of  refrangibility,  I  cannot  tell.  There  seemed  to  be 
faint  traces  of  several  such  circles  ;  the  bow  apparently  con 
tinued  after  sun-set,  for  several  minutes,  perhaps  ten  or  fif 
teen. 

"  Tuesday,  10th. — Life  is  checkered.  Some  of  the  bitter 
is  ever  mingled  with  the  sweet,  lest  we  grow  mad  with  too 

much  joy.  Yet  to-day,  a  letter  from  my  dear  cousin  D , 

tells  me  that  she  has  given  her  heart  to  the  Savior  !  and  that 
quite  a  number  of  others  in  Chelsea  have  become  the  friends 
of  Christ.  I  ought  to  praise  God  and  rejoice  at  this,  with  an 
heart  full  of  joy,  as  an  object  for  which  I  longed  and  prayed, 
and  labored  not  a  little." 

Here  is  the  end  of  it !  Began  Nov.  2,  1833,  and  closed 
the  first  period  of  his  public  life,  March  8, 1834.  Four  months 
and  four  days,  all  he  could  give  and  all  Providence  allowed 
him,  in  this  hard  and  thankless  work. 

"  Night  previous  replaced  all  the  minerals,  and  brought 
home  part  of  my  things,  in  anticipation  of  closing  school. 
Yesterday,  brought  home  all  that  could  possibly  be  spared. 


32  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

And  is  it  true,  in  four  days  more  my  teaching  days  here, 
where  I  had  so  confidently  hoped  for  a  residence  for  years  to 
come,  will  be  over !  What  have  I  done  for  the  pupils  in 
trusted  to  my  charge  ?  The  present  term,  indeed,  I  have  not 
been  faithful  as  I  ought.  My  mind  has  been  occupied,  anx 
iously  so,  with  the  difficulties  and  discouragements  of  my  situ 
ation.  It  has  affected  my  countenance  and  my  feelings,  and 
so  unfitted  me  for  the  duties  of  my  station.  Hence  my  mild 
ness  and  firm  demeanor,  or  what  was  meant  for  it,  has  too 
often  appeared  sour  and  forbidding,  and  alienated  affection 
from  me." 


CHAPTER   IV. 

STUDIES  THEOLOGY.  LETTERS  TO  HIS  WIFE  BEFORE  MAR 
RIAGE.  ORDAINED  AT  PROVIDENCE.  LETTER  TO  HIS 
WIFE.  DISMISSED.  RESETTLED  AT  SALEM.  LEAVES 
SALEM. 

In  October,  1834,  he  entered  the  Theological  Seminary  at 
Andover.  Of  this  period,  no  record  is  found  among  his  pa 
pers,  save  the  following  Certificate  from  one  of  the  Trustees. 

"  Theol  Sem.  Andover,  Oct.  19,  1835. 
"  Mr.  Charles  T.  Torrey,  the  bearer,  has  been  a  member 
of  this  seminary  one  year ;  and  when  his  health  has  permit 
ted,  he  has  regularly  pursued  his  theological  studies.  While 
resident  here  he  has  maintained  a  Christian  character.  On 
account  of  the  feeble  and  precarious  state  of  his  health,  and 
his  pecuniary  circumstances,  he  is  now,  at  his  own  request, 
dismissed  from  the  seminary. 

In  behalf  of  the  Trustees  of  Phillips  Academy, 

SAMUEL  FARRAR." 


THEOLOGICAL    COURSE.  33 

After  leaving  Andover,  Mr.  Torrey  took  a  long  journey 
on  foot ;  and  although  physicians  regarded  him  as  almost  in 
curable,  yet  by  travelling  in  this  way,  with  the  impulse  his 
mind  received  from  visiting  new  places,  his  health  was  re 
stored  ;  and,  in  1835,  he  resumed  his  theological  studies,  un 
der  the  care  of  Rev.  L.  A.  SpofFord,  Scituate,  Mass.  With 
Mr.  SpofFord  he  remained  six  months.  About  this  time  he 
assisted  Rev.  Mr.  Moore,  then  of  Cohasset,  in  a  revival.  In 
June,  1836,  he  went  to  West  Medway,  to  complete  his  studies 
with  Rev.  Dr.  Ide.  Here  he  not  only  received  the  Doctor's 
theology,  but  was  fortunate  in  obtaining  the  consent  of  his 
daughter  to  be  the  future  companion  of  his  pilgrimage.  Octo 
ber  25,  1836,  Mr.  Torrey  was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel, 
by  the  Mendon  Association.  From  this  period  till  the  time 
he  was  settled  in  Providence,  his  history  may  be  gleaned 
from  the  following  letters. 

"  Cohasset,  Dec.  16, 1836. 

"  My  beloved  Mary — I  have  just  one  hour  to  write  you  a 
few  words,  all  about  doings  and  prospects.  Reached  Boston 
about  2  o'clock.  Had  about  an  hour  to  do  my  errands.  Of 
course  did  not  go  to  Chelsea.  Have  since  heard  from  the  folks 
there  ;  all  well  as  usual.  At  3  o'clock  got  into  the  Hingham 
stage.  Reached  Mrs.  Beals's  at  5.  Was  very  cordially  re 
ceived,  so  far  as  I  could  judge.  Many  kind  inquiries  were 
made  after  my  Mary.  So  I  told  them  some  half  a  hundred  of 
your  faults  !  Did,  upon  honor.  Next  morning  made  several 
calls  upon  old  friends.  Packed  up  a  few  books  and  went,  in 
the  stage,  to  Marshfield,  which  I  reached  about  4J  o'clock. 
The  Hingham  folks  had  as  many  excuses  for  not  writing  to  me 
as  there  are  grasshoppers  in  August ;  none,  however,  quite 
equal  to  aunt  Fanny's :  *  It  wasn't  for  want  of  a  will,  for  I 
wrote  one,  but  neglected  to  send  it !'  That's  what  I  call  a  new 
way  to  pay  old  debts.  I  don't  know  whether  I  made  upon 


34  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

your  mind  the  impression,  that  it  was  very  uncertain  whether 
I  remained  at  M.,  notwithstanding  the  Commit  tee  had  asked  me 
to  do  so.  When  I  went  to  Medway,  I  left  it  optional  with  the 
Committee  to  withdraw  their  proposal  for  me  to  remain 
through  the  winter,  if  they  should  see  cause.  When  I  re 
turned,  they  told  me  they  had  concluded  that  it  was,  on  the 
whole,  best.  So  next  Sabbath  will  be  my  last  there.  I 
exchange  with  Mr.  Moore,  at  whose  house  and  in  whose 
study  I  now  am.  If  the  Orthodox  should  recover  their  cour 
age,  they  may  want  me  in  W.  again.  But  they  do  not  now 
feel  prepared  to  take  a  stand.  I  shall,  God  willing,  go  to  the 
city  on  Monday ;  and  unless  I  see  some  prospect  of  employ 
ment  soon,  shall  probably  be  in  Medway  once  more  in  the 
course  of  the  week,  or  the  next  week.  The  Lord  will  send 
me  somewhere,  if  he  has  anything  for  me  to  do  for  him,  as  a 
minister  of  Christ.  Pray  for  me,  dear  Mary,  that  I  may  be 
kept  from  sin,  and  led  in  the  path  of  duty  to  God.  And  how 
is  your  heart,  dearest?  God  has  given  me  some  peace  since 
I  left  you,  though  I  have  had  some  bitter  struggles  with  evil 
thoughts.  I  trust  you  have  been  enabled  to  overcome  and 
deny  yourself,  and  live  near  to  the  throne. 

"  We  had  a  very  good  temperance  address  here,  night  be 
fore  last,  from  Mr.  Taylor  of  Boston.  Some  of  it  ludicrous  ; 
but  on  the  whole  solemn,  pungent,  appealing  to  the  con 
science  with  great  power.  He  lectures  wherever  the  people 
will  give  hirn  a  collection  for  his  Nautical  Free  School.  Let 
me  hear  from  you  Monday.  Direct  to  me  at  Boston.  I  shall 
stay  at  Mr.  Bliss's  some  of  next  week.  Friends  at  Scituate 
full  of  inquiries  why  you  did  not  visit  them.  The  Moore's 
all  pretty  well ;  send  regards  to  the  family.  My  love  to  all 
friends,  and  especially  the  family.  God  bless  and  keep  you 
in  his  love,  and  guide  you  by  his  Spirit,  my  beloved. 
Your  affectionate 

CHARLES  T.  T." 


LETTERS  TO  HIS  WIFE.  35 

"Chelsea,  Jan.  9,1837. 

"  My  beloved  Mary, — I  received  your  letter,  dated  Jan.  5, 
Saturday  morning,  and  perused  it  with  great  pleasure.  I  was 
just  about  setting  out  for  the  city,  but  did  not  go  till  just  at 
night ;  and  after  wandering  about  an  hour  or  two  to  do  er 
rands,  I  went  to  Mr.  Lord's.  Found  that  he  and  Br.  Rogers 
had  made  a  bargain  about  me,  without  asking  '  will  I,  or  nil  I ;' 
but  I  was  contented  with  it.  So,  after  a  night  of  pleasant 
slumber,  and  committing  my  ways  to  the  Lord,  and  seeking 
his  help,  I  went,  in  the  morning,  to  the  Odeon,  and  preached 
to  the  largest  assembly  I  have  ever  yet  addressed.  Probably 
1100  or  1200  were  present ;  very  attentive  listeners  to  a  rather 
long  sermon.  I  felt  something  of  the  responsibility  of  address 
ing,  even  what  I  know  is  truth,  to  such  an  assembly.  How 
many  would  be  hardened  by  its  exhibition  !  How  few,  proba 
bly,  would  be  savingly  affected  by  it !  And  under  what  awful 
sanctions  does  the  minister  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  stand, 
when  he  addresses  them ;  knowing,  that  even  if  he  is  faith 
ful,  the  truth  will  prove  to  perhaps  a  majority  of  his  hearers 
only  the  savor  of  death  unto  death.  I  was  enabled  to  speak 
with  more  ease  and  comfort  to  myself,  than  I  could  in  your 
father's  house.  Text,  Luke  10:  22,  "  Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord,"  etc.  In  the  morning,  Mr.  Lord  plead  the  cause  of 
the  sailor,  in  Park  Street;  and  a  good  contribution  in  the  af 
ternoon,  and  many  tears  at  the  time,  testified  to  the  interest 
he  excited  in  behalf  of  the  sons  of  the  ocean.  By  the  way, 
a  sailor  complained  of  my  prayer,  last  Thursday  evening,  at 
the  Bethel.  He  said  to  Mr.  Lord,  that  I  (  did  not  pray  salt 
water  enough  /'  '  What's  that  mean  ?'  *  Why,  he  did  not 
pray  distinctly  for  seamen  !'  The  fact  was,  I  forgot  the  sai 
lor  in  the  sinner;  and,  in  praying  and  preaching,  thought 
only  of  the  particular  sinners  before  me,  part  sailors,  part  not ; 
the  majority,  females.  However,  I  shan't  soon  forget  praying 
salt  water.  In  the  afternoon  preached,  on  the  subject  of  the 


36  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

death  of  Christ,  at  Park  Street.  Pretty  full  congregation,  six 
or  eight  hundred.  Made  very  little  effort,  contrary  to  the  usual 
practice  of  those  who  preach  there,  but  filled  the  house  with 
great  ease.  Was  heard  distinctly  in  every  part.  I  am  in 
clined  to  think  the  difficulty  of  preaching  there,  is  all  a  bug 
bear;  that  the  trouble  is,  ministers  speak  too  loud,  but  not 
distinctly.  Of  course,  they  are  soon  exhausted,  and  yet  un 
heard  by  one  quarter  of  their  audience.  I  spoke  slowly,  dis 
tinctly,  but  not  very  loud,  and  the  people  were  very  atten 
tive.  In  the  evening,  I  talked  at  the  prayer-meeting,  in  Park 
Street  vestry,  and  Mr.  Homer  gave  me  a  gentle  rebuke,  as  I 
walked  home  with  him,  fordoing  so,  after  preaching  twice  on 
the  Sabbath.  He  was  very  affectionate  to  me;  the  rest  of 
the  family,  kind.  All  well.  Staid  there  an  hour,  and  then 
returned  to  Mr.  Lord's  for  the  night.  Grandma  interrupts 
me,  by  saying,  '  Give  my  love  to  Mary,  and  respects  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Ide,  Isabella  and  all ;  and  tell  Mary  not  to  worry 
herself  about  your  old  wrapper,  for  he  wears  grandpa's  cloak 
and  looks  quite  dignified  in  it !'  I  hope  to  doff  my  old  wrap 
per  before  long ;  but  when,  I  can't  say.  I  hope  the  Master 
will  send  me  to  some  permanent  location  ere  long;  but  his 
will  be  done.  He  has  always  dealt  kindly  with  me,  with  us 
both,  dear  Mary,  though  we  have  often  murmured,  and 
thought  otherwise.  But  think  you  we  shall,  if  we  enter  heav 
en,  and  thence  look  back  upon  the  whole  process  of  the  for 
mation  of  our  characters,  under  the  dispensations  of  Provi 
dence,  ever  suppose  we  had  too  many  disappointments  ?  Or 
one  trial  that  could  have  been  spared  ?  One  cross  too  much  ? 
Never !  'What  son  is  he  whom  his  Father  chasteneth  not  ?' 
And  then,  we  are  always  recalling  scenes  of  sin  and  sorrow, 
while  God's  mercies,  holy  feelings,  and  joyous  moments,  pass 
away  from  memory  as  a  dream  of  the  night,  and  we  feel  as  if 
our  waking  hours  had  been  almost  filled  up  with  sin  and  its 
twin  sister  misery.  But  was  there  ever  a  cross,  a  trial,  a 
scene  of  suffering,  in  which  we  have  not  found  some  mercy- 


LETTERS  TO  HIS  WIFE. 

drops  mingled  ?  Some  connected  joy,  to  calm  the  mind  and 
heal  the  wounded  spirit  ?  Came  home  this  morning,  or  rather 
noon,  after  an  hour  spent  in  reading  about  Animal  Magnetism, 
and  another  in  talking  with  old  Mr.  Andros>  formerly  pastor 
inBerkely  for  forty-six  years,  and  Mr.  Oliver,  once  of  Beverly, 
of  whom  it  was  said,  he  ought  never  to  leave  the  pulpit,  or  never 
to  enter  it.  Spent  the  afternoon  writing  for  grandfather ;  and 
here  I  am,  9J  o'clock,  writing  to  my  dearest  of  all  earthly 
friends.  Aunt  Fanny  sits  by  me,  reading  the  '  Three  Ex 
periments  of  Living ;'  sends  love  to  you.  The  letter  sent  in 
my  bundle  was  a  long  and  affectionate  one  from  uncle  Wm. 
T.  Torrey.  You  may  open  and  read  all  my  letters,  before 
you  send  them ;  should  like  to  have  you. 

"  Pray  the  Lord,  not  so  much  to  give  me  a  place  to  preach, 
as  to  jit  me  to  preach,  '  glorying  in  nothing  save  the  cross  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  the  world  is  crucified  unto 
us,  and  we  unto  the  world.'  At  least,  it  must  be  so  with  us, 
my  dear  M.,  if  we  are  permanently  useful  in  the  kingdom  of 
our  Master.  Thanks  to  Bella  for  her  short  P.  S.  Hope 
she  may  have  a  year  of  so  much  peace  and  holy  happiness, 
that  it  will  be  a  new  year  to  her.  I  hope  the  next  P.  S.  may 
be  a  little  longer.  Much  love  to  her,  to  your  honored  pa 
rents  and  to  all  the  family.  Please  send  me  some  of  my 
papers,  and  the  tooth-brush,  and  some  letters,  in  a  little  bun 
dle,  by  Miller,  to  be  left  at  Peirce's  Book  Store.  Hope  your 
toothache  has  departed.  I  can  toothily  (rather  than  heartily) 
sympathize  with  you.  'Tis  one  of  my  old  familiar  comforts  ! 
I  know  I  need  not  ask  my  Mary  to  write  soon.  May  God 
bless  and  keep  you,  guide  and  sanctify  you ;  and  prepare  us 
both  for  an  open  and  abundant  entrance  into  the  everlasting 
kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  be 
glory  forever.  Amen.  I  am  yours,  in  esteem  and  love, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY. 


MEMOIR  OF  TORKEY. 

Providence,  Feb.  6,  1837. 

"My  beloved  Mary, — Though  sadly  disappointed  when  I 
found  no  letter  came  Saturday  night  from  Medway,  I  feel  hap 
py  to  resume  my  pen  once  more  and  converse  with  the  one 
nearest  to  my  heart  of  all  earthly  friends,  except — yes,  allow 
one  exception,  and  be  my  dearest  still.  Let  me  feel  and  say 
to  one  friend,  '  There  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides 
thee.'  And  I  shan't  love  you  the  less.  But  I  really  did  feel 
disappointed,  though  well  aware  that  you  must  have  had  the 
very  best  reasons  to  be  found  in  all  Norfolk  county.  Well, 
last  Wednesday  afternoon,  I  met  the  Maternal  Association ; 
talked  to  the  mothers  and  children ;  stormy  day ;  very  few 
present ;  new  business  to  me.  Thursday,  P.  M.y  preached 
for  Mr.  Blair,  at  his  protracted  meeting.  That  meeting  has 
closed ;  the  results,  not  very  striking ;  a  very  few  conversions ; 
about  twenty  anxious.  Previous  to  the  meeting,  there  was  ris 
ing  thirty  cases  of  hopeful  conversion  ;  and  Mr.  Blair  told  me 
that  the  seriousness  was  increased  by  the  meeting  ;  for,  a  fort 
night  before,  it  had  declined.  The  suspicions  about  protracted 
meetings,  so  prevalent  in  our  State,  have  reached  but  few  minds 
here.  Mr.  Underwood  was  a  great  blessing  to  High  Street 
church  (Mr.  Lewis').  Its  numbers  were  about  doubled  during 
his  stay  here,  and  no  evils  resulted,  so  far  as  I  have  learned. 
But  to  return.  Thursday  eve,  I  preached  again  in  our  ves 
try  ;  and  it  was  a  long  sermon,  too,  on  backsliding.  Doc 
trines  :  a  backslider  is  one  who,  though  once  converted,  is 
now  living  in  sin,  with  few  or  no  holy  exercises ;  us  a  back 
slider,  being  impenitent,  has  no  more  title  to  the  promises, 
than  any  impenitent  sinner.  He  must  repent,  and  return  to 
God,  like  a  sinner,  throwing  himself  upon  naked  sovereignty 
as  his  only  hope.  He  cannot  plead  the  promises ;  none  are 
made  to  him.  None  of  his  prayers  are  acceptable,  while  he 
continues  a  backslider.  Have  some  reason  to  hope  the  Spirit 
accompanied  the  word.  Friday  eve  was  the  preparatory  lee- 


SETTLEMENT  AT  PROVIDENCE.  39 

ture,  in  the  vestry.  Quite  full  and  attentive  audience.  Yes 
terday,  as  I  could  not  administer  the  sacrament,  exchanged 
in  the  forenoon  with  Br.  Lewis.  Had  an  attentive  audience 
of  2oO,  though  the  day  was  snowy.  Returned  to  the  Rich 
mond  Street  church  in  time  to  partake  of  the  communion ; 
enjoyed  the  season  very  much.  Afternoon,  preached  on  the 
law  of  God,  "  Thou  shalt  love,"  etc.,  to  about  700  or  750. 
The  storm  kept  many  ladies  at  home.  I  was  exhausted ; 
and  in  the  eve  appointed  a  conference,  intending  to  say  but 
few  words;  but  I  did  preach  quite  a  sermon,  on  confessing 
and  forsaking  sin,  because  it  is  in  itself  hateful.  Somehow, 
my  preaching  lately  all  tends  directly  to  two  points,  divine 
sovereignty  and  disinterested  benevolence ;  and  here,  as  in 
other  churches,  there  are  a  few  who  cry  out  '  hard  sayings.' 
This  morning,  you  may  well  suppose,  I  was  pretty  much  dis 
posed  to  cling  to  my  couch,  and  to-day  have  made  but  two 
calls.  Have  been  reading  Helen's  Pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem, 
a  book  of  some  real  merit.  You  will  have  concluded  by  my 
not  coming,  that  they  want  me  to  stay  longer.  I  am  to  preach 
next  Sabbath  ;  and  on  Monday  after,  the  society  have  their 
quarterly  meeting  ;  and  the  committee  will  then  ask  for  in 
structions  whether  to  employ  me  any  longer  or  not.  If  they 
wish  me  to  continue,  the  church  will  then  act  about  a  call,  if 
they  see  cause.  I  have  said  to  the  Committee,  that  I  did  not 
feel  it  to  be  my  duty  to  preach  more  than  six  weeks  as  a  can 
didate  ;  a,t  least,  without  consulting  Mr.  Ide.  I  do  not  think 
it  will  be  necessary ;  for  I  have  no  doubt  most  persons,  if  not 
quite  every  one  in  the  Society,  have  fully  made  up  their  minds 
now  ;  and  I  have  reason  to  believe  the  most  are  desirous  that 
I  should  remain.  However,  the  matter  will  speedily  be  de 
cided.  My  abolitiomsm  and  Emmonaitm  might  cause  a  few 
to  leave,  and  would  draw  in  some  others.  The  friends  of  the 
slave  are  determined  to  have  one  abolition  church,  and  the 
abolitionists  are  the  sound  men  in  doctrine.  Still,  something 


40  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

may  occur  to  cause  a  struggle,  and  prevent  my  remaining 
here.  Be  prepared  for  disappointment,  my  love.  I  have 
endeavored  to  leave  the  matter  entirely  to  God,  and  I  think 
the  hardest  point  to  submit  has  been,  that  you  would  feel  it, 
if  I  should  not  be  liked  here.  Next  Monday  or  Tuesday, 
God  willing,  I  purpose  to  be  with  you.  Pray  for  me,  love, 
that  the  word  I  preach  may  both  benefit  me  and  those  who 
listen  to  it.  There  is  need  of  a  revival ;  the  church,  as  a 
body,  is  very  lifeless.  Do  let  me  hear  from  you  this  week. 
My  love  to  your  father,  mother,  Isabella,  Em.,  Let.,  Julia, 
and  little  Georgy,  and  all  friends.  May  your  soul  prosper, 
my  beloved  Mary.  I  am  your  affectionate, 

CHARLES  T.  TORRE Y. 

':  P.  S.  Tuesday  morning.  Dearest  M. — Received  your 
letter  this  morning.  Thank  Bella  for  her  P.  S.  I  trust  my 
Mary  improves  in  other  things  as  well  as  in  housewifery, 
May  both  of  you  live  nearer  to  God  than  you  ever  have  done, 
and  grow  in  all  Christian  graces,  as  well  as  in  those  graces 
of  this  life  which  make  home  the  best  image  of  heaven 
earth  offers  to  our  view.  I  don't  know  how  I  wrote  about 
my  bath.  I  begin  with  face  and  hands,  and  end  with  feet. 
I  think  I  have  been  essentially  benefited  by  it.  Friction  at 
night,  and  cold  water  and  friction  in  the  morning,  are  truly 
delicious.  Good  bye.  Let  me  hear  again  as  soon  as  you  re 
ceive  this.  Yours,  C.  T. 

March,  1837,  he  was  ordained  over  the  Richmond  Street 
Congregational  church,  Providence,  R.  I.  About  a  week 
after,  he  was  married.  Mr.  Torrey  remained  in  Providence 
till  October  of  the  same  year ;  when,  by  his  own  request,  he 
was  dismissed  from  his  pastoral  relation  to  that  people. 

We  give,  here,  only  one  letter,  between  the  time  of  his 
leaving  Providence  and  his  settlement  at  Salem. 


LETTERS  TO  HIS  WIFE,  41 

East  Randolph,  Thursday,  Nov.  16, 1837. 
"  Somehow,  1  love  to  write  to  my  dear  wife,  I  think, 
quite  as  well,  if  not  a  little  better,  than  I  did  before  we 
were-  *  one  flesh.'  I  can  think  of  her,  and  seem  to  see 
her,  and  hear  her  talk,  and  peep  and  smtYe,  now  and  then, 
even  if  we  are  absent  in  body  from  each  other.  I  was 
a  little  disappointed  Monday  night,  and  last  night  not  a  little, 
when  I  went  to  the  office  and  no  letter  came  from  my  Mary. 
But  then  I  '  found  up,'  as  you  say,  a  dozen  good  reasons 
why  it  should  be  so,  and  was  tolerably  contented.  I  do 
want  you  with  me  every  day,  to  counsel,  sympathize  with, 
reprove  and  comfort  me,  not  a  little.  But  the  '  way  of  the 
Lord  is  in  the  darkness,  and  his  pathway  in  the  deep.  He 
hideth  himself.'  And  what  he  hath  in  store  for  us,  he  knows, 
and  perhaps  we  ought  not  to  desire  to  know,  till  the  day  de 
clares  it.  The  benefit  of  most  of  God's  dispensations  would 
evidently  be  lost,  if  we  knew  beforehand  what  should  be  our 
portion  in  life.  '  It  is  the  glory  of  God  to  conceal  a  matter.' 
I  feel  more  and  more  desire  to  be  with  you.  Without  these 
separations,  you  have  said  sometimes,  that  I  did  not  sympa 
thize  with  you,  in  your  trials  and  sufferings.  But  it  is  not  so, 
my  love  ;  far  from  it.  If  I  have  erred,  it  has  been  in  the 
other  direction.  I  am  conscious,  however,  that  as  a  matter  of 
habit,  there  is  an  almost  constant  concealment  of  my  feelings 
on  every  subject,  and  a  neglect  of  the  expression  of  them,  to 
an  extent  which  you  never  thought  of.  I  remember  once 
a  classmate  to  whom  I  was  always  ardently  attached,  one  clay 
burst  out  in  expressions  of  astonishment,  when  I  casually  al 
luded  to  my  warm  affection  for  him.  He  had  never  dreamed 
of  it !  Now  I  never  could  tell,  exactly,  what  had  hindered 
me  from  manifesting  my  love  to  him  by  words  or  by  an  affec 
tionate  deportment.  Yet  so  it  was.  And  whatever  be  the 
cause,  I  believe  it  is,  in  a  measure,  true  of  my  feelings  of 
sympathy  with  you  as  a  wife.  As  to  love  to  you,  it  has  been 
4* 


42  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

manifest  enough,  surely.  But  we  do  often  refrain  from  ex 
hibiting  feelings  which  are  very  strong  in  our  bosoms,  and  yet 
cannot  tell  why  we  do  it.  But  when  we  do,  we  forget  that  the 
proper  expression  of  any  emotion  strengthens  it." 

Soon  after  leaving  P.,  he  simultaneously  received  two  calls 
to  resettle.  The  one  from  Randolph,  the  other  the  Harvard 
Street  church  in  Salem,  Mass.,  formerly  under  the  pastoral 
care  of  Rev.  Dr.  Cheever.  The  church  was  so  well  united 
in  him  and  in  each  other,  and  their  views  of  the  great  moral 
questions  which  then  agitated  the  Christian  public,  so  nearly 
coincided  with  his  own,  that  he  considered  it  an  indication  of 
Providence,  that  God  had  called  him  to  that  place.  In  De 
cember  he  removed  to  Salem,  and  in  Jan.  1838,  was  in 
stalled  over  a  united  and  happy  people.  For  a  time  he  en 
gaged  with  zeal  and  devotion  in  the  labors  of  a  pastor ;  soon 
his  calls  from  abroad,  and  his  numerous  labors  in  the  anti- 
slavery  cause,  diverted  his  mind  from  his  duties  to  his  own 
charge,  and  he  found  it  necessary  to  yield  the  one  or  the  other. 
He  relinquished  his  home  and  the  quiet  of  a  pastor's  life  for 
the  stormy  conflict  with  slavery. 


CHAPTER    V. 

LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE. 

It  is  but  just  to  Mr.  Torrey,  that  he  should  here  speak  for 
himself,  and  set  forth  in  his  own  language  his  views  and  his 
motives. 

We  find  a  series  of  letters,  prepared  about  this  time,  em 
bracing  a  review  of  a  Sermon  by  Re'v.  Parsons  Cooke. 
These  letters,  as  will  be  seen,  were  written  for  the  Boston 
Recorder,  but  for  some  reason  were  not  published  in  that 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  43 

paper,  although  Mr.  T.  had  been  publicly  challenged  to  re 
view  the  Sermon  in  question  through  the  Recorder. 

We  give  largely  of  these  letters,  because  they  not  only 
show  good  reasons  for  anti-slavery  action,  reasons  which  need 
to  be  read  again  and  again,  but  they  also  give  a  very  fair  con 
ception  of  Mr.  Torrey  as  a  vigorous  writer.  We  give  these 
in  preference  to  any  selection  from  his  sermons,  because 
more  in  accordance  with  the  latter  period  of  his  life,  in  which 
the  community  are  more  particularly  interested.  Mr,  Tor 
rey  was  employed  at  this  time  as  a  Lecturer,  by  the  Massa 
chusetts  Abolition  Society,  and  wrote  this  series  of  Letters 
at  such  intervals  as  he  could  command,  while  going  from 
place  to  place. 

LETTER  I. 

"  Dear  Brother, — Before  entering  upon  the  discussion  of 
the  general  principles  involved  in  your  discourse,  entitled 
*  Moral  Machinery  simplified,'  there  are  a  few  points  which  I 
desire  to  notice.  The  most  of  them  may  be  arranged  under 
this  running  title : 

Things  in  which  we  agree. 

1.  "  That  it  is  very  difficult  to  ascertain  the  path  of  duty, 
sometimes,  in  relation  to  a  given  object,  or  society  ;  and  that, 
consequently,  we  need  the  teachings  of  the  word  and  provi 
dence  of  God,  received  with  a  prayerful  humble  spirit,  to 
guide  us  aright.  And  if  a  man  enters  upon  any  course  of  ac 
tion,  without  such  guidance,  and  such  a  temper  of  heart,  he 
will  not  gain  the  favor  of  God.  He  will  be  more  likely  to 
resemble  Jehu  the  son  of  Nimshi,  than  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 
He  may  destroy  the  wicked,  and  repress  open  crimes,  like 
the  former ;  but  he  will  not  be  very  likely  to  lead  a  sinner  to 
the  cross.  And  while  the  wicked  man  may  be  really  useful 
to  society,  in  promoting  social  order,  and  external  purity,  he 
will  not,  by  such  means,  save  his  own  soul,  nor  will  his  influ- 


44  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

ence  have  any  very  direct  or  special  tendency  to  save  the 
souls  of  others.  Hence,  if  such  a  man,  in  consequence  of  his 
zealous  efforts  to  reform  men  externally,  is  ranked,  by  him 
self  or  others,  among  true  Christians  they  make  a  lamentable, 
and  he  a  fatal  mistake. 

2.  "  Whenever  any  tendency  to  exalt  one  branch  of  Chris 
tian  morality  or  benevolence,  above  its  just  place  in  the  esti 
mation  of  mankind,  appears,  it  ought  to  be  resisted,  kindly 
but  firmly.     The  cause  of  education  should  not  be  sacrificed 
to  that  of  Missions ;  nor  the  cause  of  the  slave  to  either.     Ef 
forts  to  promote  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath  should  not  be 
urged  to  the  neglect  of  the  duty  of  prayer ;  nor  should  the 
importance  of  revivals  of  religion  in  our  churches,  induce  us 
to  omit  to  urge  upon  them  suitable  measures  to  bring  men- 
stealers  to  repentance.     Wherever  this  censurable  tendency 
has  appeared  in  our  abolition  efforts,  I  have  always  rebuked  it. 
So  have  others.     But  it  cannot  be  wholly  repressed ;  it  re 
sults  rather  from  the  laws  of  the  human  mind,  and  the  par 
tial  knowledge  and  imperfect  holiness  of  men,  than  from  the 
peculiar  nature  of  any  topic  of  interest.     Men  are  as  much 
disposed  to  be  *  hobby-horsical'  on  the  subject  of  missions,  or 
education,  as  abolition. 

"  Yet  we  both  agree  that  sometimes  a  particular  object  may 
have  claims  upon  the  attention  of  the  humane  and  pious  para 
mount,  for  the  time,  to  all  others  ;  and  that  their  time  and  re 
sources  should  be  devoted  more  exclusively  to  it,  than  duty 
would  allow  in  different  circumstances.  May  it  not  be  so, 
now,  in  relation  to  the  three  millions  of  the  enslaved?  So 
long  neglected  by  most  men,  in  the  church  and  out  of  it, 
is  it  not  time  to  awake  to  special,  penitent  efforts  for  their 
rescue  ?  May  not  men  urge  their  claims  with  special  ear 
nestness,  without  being  chargeable  with  perverting  the  gos 
pel,  or  over-valuing  one  branch  of  Christian  duty  or  morality  ? 

3.  "  That  '  Consociation  is  but  another  name  for  a  Pres 
bytery,'  I  am  glad  to  see  a  man  of  so  much  influence  as  your- 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  45 

self  boldly  affirm.  Would  that  you,  or  some  one,  could  wake 
up  in  our  churches,  and  especially  among  our  ministers,  a 
more  hearty  attachment  to  the  scriptural,  anti-slavery  prin 
ciples  of  the  church  polity  of  our  fathers  !  That  Congrega- 
tionalists  (including  Baptists,  Lutherans,  etc.)  can  engage  in 
efforts  to  spread  the  gospel,  or  relieve  the  poor  and  needy  and 
oppressed,  beyond  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  their  indi 
vidual  churches,  in  no  way  but  by  forming  voluntary  associa 
tions  for  these  ends,  is  most  true,  and  a  truth  of  no  little  im 
portance.  A  local  church,  if  faithful,  can  succor  the  needy, 
and  supply  the  spiritual  wants  of  saints  and  sinners,  in  its 
own  locality.  But  if  its  members  have  pecuniary  ability, 
talents,  and  hearts  large  enough  to  do  more  than  this,  it  must 
be  done  by  a  voluntary  combination  of  their  individual  re 
sources,  in  a  society,  committee,  or  corporation.  These  asso 
ciations  may,  or  may  not  be  formed  to  organize  new  churches 
elsewhere.  They  may  exist,  to  preach  Christian  doctrine  or 
duty,  or  morality,  according  to  the  demands  of  the  case  in 
view.  But  for  what  object  soever  they  are  formed,  they  are 
purely  voluntary ;  the  free  union  of  individuals,  to  employ 
means  to  secure  certain  ends.  Remark,  if  you  please,  that 
such  societies  are  not  formed  by  the  united  action  of  churches 
as  such  ;  but  solely  by  the  union  of  such  men  and  women  as 
are  disposed  to  form  them.  Each  society  may  define,  for  it 
self,  the  terms  of  membership  in  it.  These  may  be,  a  public 
profession  of  faith,  in  a  Congregational  or  some  other  church, 
'  hopeful  piety,'  or  the  payment  of  a  sum  of  money,  or  sign 
ing  one's  name  as  a  token  of  assent  to  certain  doctrines  and 
measures.  But  such  societies  are  not  churches.  If  any  man 
assents  to  the  terms  of  membership,  there  is,  and  can  be,  no 
way  of  excluding  him,  for  hypocrisy,  or  anything  else,  not 
embraced  explicitly  in  those  terms.  The  character  and  influ 
ence  of  a  member  or  members,  may  be  dangerous  to  every 
interest  of  the  church  and  the  world ;  but  so  long  as  they 


46  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

comply  with  the  conditions  of  membership,  they  cannot  be 
set  aside. 

"  And  I  will  just  add,  for  your  information,  that  the  terms  of 
membership  in  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  Missions,  the  Am.  Educa 
tion,  and  in  short  of  all  our  public  societies  for  every  object, 
set  up  no  bars  to  exclude  the  infidel,  the  drunkard,  the  de 
bauchee,  the  universalist  or  other  errorist,  the  atheist  even. 
All  persons,  men  and  women,  old  and  young,  Christians  and 
heathen,  may  become  '  members/  by  paying  a  given  sum  of 
money !  And  every  such  person  is  eligible  to  any  and  every 
corporate  or  administrative  office  in  these  societies.  What 
*  wicked'  societies  !  to  invite  '  good'  men  and  '  bad'  men 
alike  to  join  in  doing  good ;  in  *  preaching  the  whole  gospel/ 
or  a  part  of  it.  Good  and  bad  men,  professors  and  non-pro 
fessors  of  religion,  virtuous  and  some  vicious  men,  belong  to 
all  these  societies.  There  is  no  propriety  in  saying  that  these 
societies  are  religious  societies  (you  do  not)  so  far  as  the 
terms  of  membership  are  concerned.  The  *  churches'  are 
connected  with  them  only  through  their  individual  members, 
who  choose  to  join — -just  as  the  churches  are  connected  with 
abolition  or  '  moral  reform'  societies.  *  How  liable  are  such 
societies  to  perversion !'  some  will  exclaim.  Suppose  a 
( controlling  portion'  of  their  members  and  officers  get  to  be 
corrupt,  or  and-'  orthodox'  men.  When  money  is  the  only 
term  of  membership,  are  they  not  peculiarly  liable  to  perver 
sion  ?  One  '  Foreign  Mission  Society'  has  already  been  so 
perverted,  in  this  State.  We  both  reply,  that  we  have  other 
and  ample  securities,  in  the  character  of  the  officers,  the  vigil 
ance  of  the  community,  and  above  all,  in  the  control  of  our  own 
pockets,  against  such  perversion.  No  man,  however  great  or 
influential  or  Jesuitical,  can  control  and  sustain  any  voluntary 
society  long,  after  it  appears  that  he  perverts  its  funds  or  in 
fluence,  unless  by  the  free  consent  of  its  supporters.  If  they 
agree  to  it;  they  unite  with  him  in  changing  its  character  and 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  47 

objects.  It  is  no  longer  the  same  body  in  truth,  though  it 
may  be  in  name.  And  here  is  all  the  security  we  need,  or  can 
rationally  ask,  that  any  voluntary  society  (not  corporate,  for 
a  given  end)  shall  not  be  perverted.  It  is  the  only  real  se 
curity,  in  regard  to  a  church  or  any  other  jure  divino  society. 
Abolition,  missionary,  and  all  other  existing  societies,' merely 
voluntary,  stand,  in  this  respect,  on  a  common  level. 

4.  We  agree  that  '  corrupt  public  sentiment'  ought  to  be 
reformed,  by  wise  and  proper  means.  And  the  means  to  be 
employed,  must  depend  upon  whether  that  corruption  exists 
in  the  '  churches'  or  in  the  State  ;  and  upon  the  nature  of  the 
*  corrupt  sentiment'  which  needs  purification.  One  mode  of 
action  may  be  salutary  and  efficient  at  one  time,  and  futile  at 
another.  Wisdom  is  profitable  to  direct  us  how  to  act  for 
this  end.  We  agree  that  the  '  opinions'  of  the  '  public'  can 
be  changed  only  by  such  means  as  will  reach  and  mould 
those  of  individuals.  Will  not  the  united  expression  of  indi 
vidual  opinions  affect  the  views  of  others  ?  Is  it  not  one  proper 
mode  of  doing  this  ?  Surely,  you  must  change  the  whole  so 
cial  constitution  of  man,  before  you  deny  it,  or  denounce  such 
action  as  '  mean'  or  anti-christian.  We  agree,  also,  that  if 
deference  to  the  opinions  of  one  or  of  all  men  be  the  control 
ling  motive  in  any  given  act,  there  is  no  moral  virtue  in  the 
act.  It  may  be  beneficial  to  society,  but  does  not  commend 
the  agent  to  His  favor,  who  looks  upon  the  heart.  Hence  if 
all  slaveholders  left  off  their  crimes,  out  of  deference  to  hu 
man  opinions,  it  would  not  save  their  souls.  But  surely,  it 
would  be  a  vast  gain,  directly  to  every  temporal  interest  of 
man,  and  indirectly  to  his  spiritual  interests,  by  opening  wide 
the  door  of  effort  for  the  good  of  the  two  races. 

"  Nor  do  we  expect  that  slavery  will  be  destroyed  by  the 
actual  conversion  of  every  slaveholder.  The  history  of  the 
world  presents  no  example  of  such  an  event.  Like  all  other 
public  crimes,  it  has  fallen  under  the  ban  of  penal  laws,  when 
ever  the  « controlling  influences'  in  church  and  State,  were 


48  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

sufficiently  enlightened  and  pure,  or  conscientious,  to  '  exe 
cute  judgment'  and  '  deliver  the  oppressed.'  So  will  it  be  in 
every  State  of  our  Union.  And  whenever  the  '  opinions,' 
'  sentiments,'  and  feelings  of  the  major  part  of  any  slave  State 
are  what  they  should  be,  the  work  will  be  done.  That  proper 
means  should  be  employed  to  make  them  right,  we  both  be 
lieve.  That  it  may  be  desirable,  or  necessary  to  establish 
many  more  '  churches,'  and  send  many  more  '  ministers,'  to 
some  States,  as  a  means  of  changing  men's  opinions  arid  feel 
ings,  I  may  admit  or  deny.  It  is  an  open  question.  That 
more  ministers  and  churches,  and  of  a  purer  character  are  de 
sirable  for  this  object  and  for  the  salvation  of  the  bond  and 
the  free,  I  admit.  That  slavery  will  die  without  it,  I  believe. 
For,  imperfectly  as  we  both  believe  the  South  to  be  *  evan 
gelized,'  I  think  the  first  principles  of  common  morality  and 
honesty  are  well  enough  understood  by  the  mass  of  the  peo 
ple,  to  authorize  us  to  appeal  to  them,  in  condemnation  of 
slaveholding;  in  order  to  secure  the  proper  church  and  State 
action  for  the  suppression  of  this  crime.  Perhaps  I  am  wrong ; 
a  few  years  will  determine. 

5.  We  agree  that  '  slaveholding  is  a  sin,'  more  or  less  ag 
gravated  by  the  degree  of  light  enjoyed  by  the  sinner.  If  it 
be  a  sin,  then  the  commission  of  it  is  inconsistent  with  Chris 
tian  character.  That  a  man  may  commit  this  or  any  other 
sin  with  a  very  *  limited  knowledge  of  his  duty  in  the  tfase,' 
and  be  a  Christian,  is  what  you  seem  to  affirm  (p.  30,  bot 
tom,  of  your  pamphlet).  You  seem  to  suppose  some  Chris 
tians  slaveholders,  now,  to  be  thus  ignorant  of  duty.  Perhaps 
so.  But  doubtless  that  number  is  limited.  It  cannot  em 
brace  many  educated  men.  No  son  of  New  England  can  be 
thus  ignorant.  No  son  of  the  South,  educated  here,  can  be 
thus  excused.  At  least,  I  will  hold  that  we  agree  in  this,  till 
you  deny  it.  I  would  ask,  with  earnestness,  when  will  '  the 
true  light  shine  ?'  How  many  centuries  more,  before  the 
slaveholders  in  the  Southern  and  Northern  churches  will 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE. 


know  enough,  to  be  l  without  excuse  ?'     Is  the  case  so  verj 
difficult  of  solution  ? 

Your  friend  and  brother  in  Christ, 

CHARLES  T.  TORRE Y." 


LETTER   II. 

"  Respected  Sir, — It  cannot  be  questioned,  that  the  aboli 
tion  societies  of  our  day,  were  chiefly  in  your  eye,  when  you 
penned  your  discourse.  Every  paragraph  is  distinctly  aimed 
at  them.  And  though  allusions  are  made  to  others,  some  of 
which  mi glit  be  obnoxious  to  the  same  charges,  it  will  be  suf 
ficient  for  me  to  endeavor  to  meet  your  positions  in  the  atti 
tude  in  which  they  are  presented,  leaving  to  the  agents  or 
friends  of  other  reforms  to  defend  their  societies  from  your 
assaults.  In  doing  this,  however,  I  mean  to  meet  your  main 
positions  fairly.  Allow  me  to  add,  that  I  shall  take  little  no 
tice  of  the  jests  and  sarcasms  with  which  your  pamphlet 
abounds.  If  you  employ  them  in  reply  to  me,  I  will  take 
into  serious  consideration  the  propriety  of  using  such  l  car 
nal  weapons,'  in  retorting  upon  you. 

"  Your  general  doctrine  is,  that  voluntary  associations  are 
lawful  and  scriptural.  Still,  they  may  be  needlessly  multi 
plied,  and  improperly  formed.  Your  object  is,  to  find  some 
principle,  on  which  to  separate  '  the  precious  from  the  vile.' 
You  think  you  have  found  it.  I  do  not.  Your  principle  is 
unsound,  or  very  imperfectly  stated ;  and  the  use  you  make 
of  it,  most  clumsy  and  unrighteous,  as  I  intend  to  show  be 
fore  I  have  done. 

"  For  certain  kinds  of  voluntary  societies  you  think  (pp.  6 
— 7)  you  find  a  warrant,  1.  In  apostolic  example.  Notice 
that  this  society,  if  it  was  one,  was  established  by  Paul  and 
Timothy,  to  relieve  the  '  poor  saints  at  Jerusalem,'  in  a  time 
of  famine,  by  pecuniary  collections.  It  was  no  part  of  its 
5 


50  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

object  to  preach  the  '  whole  gospel/  or  any  portion  of  it.  One 
object  of  abolition  societies  is  to  relieve  the  '  poor  saints'  in 
the  South,  from  a  bondage  which  deprives  them  of  legal  mar 
riage,  of  the  wages  of  their  labor,  of  the  right  to  read,  or 
to  know  how  to  read  the  word  of  God ;  and,  in  short,  of  all 
personal,  social,  civil,  political  and  religious  rights.  If  apos 
tolic  example  gives  a  'ritual  warrant'  for  forming  a  voluntary 
society  in  the  one  case,  some  think  it  must,  a  fortiori,  in  the 
other.  What  say  you  ?  2.  You  argue  the  expediency  and 
safety  of  such  societies  from  the  goodness  of  their  objects. 
Surely  the  abolition  of  slavery  and  caste,  are  '  good  objects/ 
That  the  goodness  of  the  object  of  a  society  secures  it  from 
perversion,  or  has  any  strong  tendency  to  do  so,  I  question. 
And  the  simplicity  of  the  machinery,  in  any  case,  only  makes 
it  easier  to  wield  it  for  any  purpose,  good  or  bad.  What  ob 
ject  so  good  as  the  salvation  of  souls  ?  How  constantly  per 
verted,  in  every  age,  has  the  '  machinery'  for  this  purpose 
been !  How  simple  the  frame-work  of  Congregational 
churches;  and  yet,  has  it  not  been  often  perverted?  Of 
all  men,  you  will  be  the  last  to  deny  it.  3.  You  are  in  favor 
of  such  societies,  because  of  the  nearly  unmixed  good  they 
have  done ;  which,  you  say,  is  a  '  token  that  the  smiles  of 
heaven  rest  upon  this  method  of  doing  good.'  So,  I  arguer 
that  the  nearly  unmixed  good,  done  in  our  land  and  England, 
by  abolition  societies,  is  a  token  of  God's  favor,  just  as  truly. 
But  you  and  I  are  both  too  orthodox,  too  wise,  I  trust,  to  affirm 
seriously,  the  truth  of  the  general  principle  involved  in  your 
statement :  Success  in  doing  good,  a  token  of  God's  approval 
of  the  instrument !  be  that  instrument  a  man  or  a  society. 
The  principle  is  not  sound.  '  The  wrath  of  rnan  shall  PRAISE 
him'  Yet  he  approves  it  not.  If  a  society  or  individual  has 
a  good  object,  employs  right  means,  and  acts  from  right  mo 
tives,  God  approves  ;  not  otherwise.  That  success  or  failure 
betide  an  effort,  is  no  valid  argument  either  way.  What  abo- 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  51 

lition  efforts  have  done,  I  will  notice  hereafter.  I  only  say 
here,  that  all  your  good  reasons  for  favoring  any  voluntary 
society,  seem  to  apply  to  abolition  societies,  in  full  force. 

"  The  distinction  you  endeavor  to  make,  between  existing 
societies,  has  no  foundation  in  fact.  You  call  the  two  sorts 
*  benevolent'  arid  '  public  opinion'  societies.  Both  have  cen 
tral  and  auxiliary  societies,  State,  county,  and  local.  Both 
employ  agents,  and  use  funds.  You  might  have  added,  both 
have  good  objects,  both  employ  the  public  press,  arid  presses 
of  their  own,  both  urge  upon  Christians  the  duty  of  prayer 
for  the  success  of  their  endeavors.  And  here,  you  think,  the 
parallel  ceases.  The  first  aim,  chiefly,  to  collect  and  use  funds 
for  their  objects.  The  second,  to  create,  and  then  use,  a 
1  public  opinion,'  of  a  given  kind,  to  a  certain  end.  The  one 
appeals  to  God's  wrath ;  the  other  to  man's  frown,  to  gain 
their  ends.  The  one,  you  think,  combine  good  men ;  the 
other,  good  and  bad  men,  to  accomplish  their  purposes.  The 
first  employ  the  '  whole  gospel ;'  the  other,  only  l  public  in 
dignation,'  to  accomplish  good.  These  are  all  the  distinctions 
you  point  out  in  your  definitions.  They  will  vanish  when 
you  look  at  them  :  1.  Good  and  bad  men  are  combined  in 
them.  This  is  equally  true  of  both  sorts  of  societies-  In  all 
our  foreign  and  domestic  Mission,  Tract,  Bible,  Seamen's 
Friend  and  Education  societies,  the  only  condition  of  member 
ship  is  the  payment  of  money.  In  virtue  of  such  payment, 
some  vicious,  and  many  unconverted , men  belong  to  them; 
are  '  life,'  '  honorary,'  and  '  corporate'  members.  If  you  do 
not  know  it,  you  ought  to  have  known  it,  better  than  your 
4  young'  brother.  I  am  not  blaming  these  societies  for  it. 
Your  principles  censure  them;  mine  do  not. 

"  To  be  a  member  of  any  abolition  society,  an  assent  to 
principles  of  truth,  and  a  pledge  to  correspondent  action  is 
required,  in  addition  to  paying  money.  So  that  (if  their  prin 
ciples  are  true)  they  are  better  guarded  against  perversion, 
by  the  union  of  l  bad  men'  with  them,  than  the  societies  you 


52  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

approve.  To  be  a  President  of  the  Bible  Society,  or  of  the 
A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  a  man  is  not  required  to  be  a  good  man,  or 
a  moral  man,  or  theoretically  sound  in  theology  or  ethics  or 
political  economy,  by  any  other  or  higher  law  than  this  same 
'public  opinion'  you  so  cordially  detest.  The  constitution  of 
these  bodies  are  silent  on  such  points  ;  they  only  require 
moneyj  to  promote  their  several  objects. 

"It  is  true,  that  most  persons  interested  in  them  are  Chris 
tians.  So  are  the  great  majority  of  all  who  are  members  of 
abolition  societies,  judged  by  your  and  my  own  standard  of 
Christian  character.  And  if  the  character  of  the  membership 
entitles  the  one  to  support,  it  does  equally  entitle  the  other  to 
aid  from  us  as  Christians.  The  argument  is  a  frail  one,  in 
both  cases.  Unless,  therefore,  you  are  prepared  to  abandon 
all  your  favorite  societies,  because  they  invite  the  'coopera 
tion  of  bad  men,'  cease  to  attack  abolition  and  other  reform 
societies,  on  the  same  ground.  Your  way  of  escape  from  this 
dilemma,  I  will  hedge  up,  by  and  bye. 

2.  "  '  Benevolent'  societies  employ  the  whole  gospel,  in 
*  due  proportion  and  harmony,'  to  accomplish  their  ends.  The 
Tract  society  seems  to  pose  you  ;  and  well  it  may.  For 
you  dare  not,  on  your  responsibility  to  God,  affirm  that  it  uses 
the  *  whole  gospel,'  or  anything  like  it.  It  does  not  all  *  evan 
gelical'  truth,  and  you  know  it  cannot.  It  aims  to  affect  the 
'  opinions/  and  lives,  and  hearts  of  men,  by  employing  and 
spreading  those  principles  in  which  its  supporters  agree. 
Precisely  the  course  taken  by  the  anti-slavery  societies  ! 
And  let  me  add,  on  no  other  principles  can  men,  who  differ 
at  all,  in  religious  belief  and  practice,  unite  in  societies  to 
promote  any  given  end.  The  abolition  society  unites  all 
who  agree  to  diffuse  certain  principles  on  one  subject,  to  af 
fect  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men.  The  Am.  Tract  society, 
unites  all  who  agree  to  diffuse  certain  principles  on  several 
classes  of  topics,  for  the  same  ends,  to  affect  men's  hearts 
and  lives.  Both  take  it  for  granted  that  men  have  intellects, 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  53 

and  endeavor  to  address  them  (often  imperfectly),  that  through 
the  mind  they  may  affect  the  conduct  and  heart.  Some 
times  both  reach  the  mind,  heart  and  conduct.  Sometimes 
they  affect  men's  conduct,  and  reach  not  their  hearts.  At 
other  times  they  reach  the  mind,  but  neither  the  heart  nor  life. 
I  admit  that  'denominational'  Tract  societies  exist,  not  to 
preach,  but  to  diffuse  the  '  whole  gospel,  as  they  understand 
it.'  And  your  principles  would  restrict  each  man  to  such  so 
cieties  ;  your  heart  does  not,  because  you  are  a  Christian.  I 
quarrel  with  your  logic,  not  with  you.  Query?  How  is  it 
that  these  societies  for  the  spread  of  *  the  whole  gospel,'  con 
trive,  so  uniformly,  to  leave  out  the  abolition  part  of  it? 
Why  has  no  American,  or  denomination  tract  society  printed 
a  single  tract  on  slavery  ?  i  Echo  answers,  Why  ?' 

"  In  what  sense  the  Education,  or  Colonization  societies 
exist  to  i  preach  the  whole  gospel,'  it  puzzles  me  to  see.  One 
is  to  furnish  men  with  means  to  get  an  education  for  it ;  the 
other  does  nothing  towards  it,  in  any  way.  It  only  takes  men 
from  one  country  and  carries  them  to  another.  It  spends  not 
a  dollar  for  religious  purposes.  Yet  you  support  both  as 
*  benevolent'  societies. 

"  Besides ;  all  these  societies,  alike,  aim  to  affect  the 
1  opinions'  of  the  public.  Their  support  is  derived  from  pub 
lic  favor.  If  they  do  good  to  the  souls  and  bodies  of  men,  it 
is  chiefly  by  affecting  the  opinions  of  individuals  and  of  the 
public  at  large,  so  as  to  lead  to  right  feeling  and  action.  Some 
of  them  aim  at  universal  reform,  in  the  religion,  morals,  gov 
ernment,  sciences,  arts,  ethics,  manners  and  customs  of  na 
tions  (e.  g.  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.)  ;  and  that  too,  not  merely  by 
4  preaching  the  gospel,'  but  by  schools,  the  press,  and  all  the 
machinery  of  civilized  and  Christian  lands.  Universal  reform 
is  needed,  therefore  it  is  attempted.  Those  portions  of  the 
work  are  first  attempted,  which  the  means  and  numbers  of 
those  employed  best  warrant.  In  our  own  land,  similar  ef 
forts  have  already  accomplished  parts  of  the  work  of  univer- 
5* 


54  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

sal  reform.      We  aim  to  do  what  is  not  yet  done.     If  it  be 
right  to  form  a  society  to  do  the  whole  work,  where  it  is 
needed,  I  cannot  see  why  it  is  not  right  to  associate  to  do  a 
part  of  it,  where  only  a  part  remains  to  be  done.     The  very 
right  to  associate  to  accomplish  the  whole  work,  involves  the 
right  to  associate  to  accomplish  any  particular  part.     The  right 
to  form  a  '  Dorcas  society,'  or  a  missionary  society  for  the  hea 
then,  is  a  logical  deduction  from  the  right  and  duty  of  forming 
that  society  for  every  holy  purpose,  called  a  '  church.'     For  a 
church  is,  or  ought  to  be,  both  the  one  and  the  other.     If 
more  hungry  men  are  to  be  fed  than  individual  resources  can 
feed,  it  is  right  to  associate  for  the  purpose.     If  more  need 
•clothing  than  the  resources  of  the  '  church,'  as  such,  can  sup 
ply,  form  a  '  Dorcas'  society,  to  do  it.     If  the  views  and  prac 
tices  of  the  church  and  State  need  to  be  changed  on  one  par 
ticular  topic,  and  if  need  so  require,  form  a  society  for  that 
end.     The  only  limits  of  truth  and  wisdom,  as  to  the  number 
of  societies  to  be  formed,  are,   1.  the  objects  to  be  accom 
plished,    and,    2.  the  wise   adaptation  of  any  form  of  effort 
to  the  attainment  of  a  given  and  good  object.     Here  is  a 
4  principle'  of  common  sense,  by  which  you  may  try  all  socie 
ties,  whether  Tract,  Missionary,  Bible,  Abolition  or  Educa 
tion,  and  determine  their  propriety.      3.  Your  'benevolent' 
.societies  strive  to  reform  men,  by  appealing  to  God's  wrath 
to  deter  men  from  sin.     Indeed  !     What  is  the  'creed'  of  the 
Colonization,  Education,  and  Bible  societies,  respecting  fu 
ture  retribution  ?      Were  you  older  than  Methuselah,   and 
wiser  than  Daniel  and  Solomon,  you  could  not  tell.     Indi 
vidual  members  of  them  have  all  sorts  of  creeds  about  it.    But 
neither  of  them,  by  its  constitution,  or  through  its  officers  or 
agents,  presents  any  creed,  or  has  a  right  to  do  so.     They  urge 
men  to  duty  by  various  motives,  of  social  enjoyment,  public 
and  private  interest,  and  religious  feeling;  just  as  abolition 
societies  always  have  done.     But  all  these  attempted  distinc 
tions  rest  upon  a  common  falsity,  viz.  that  abolition  and  other 


LRTTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  00 

reform  societies  aim  to  form,  and  then  use,  as  the  instrument 
of  reform,  a  monster  which  you  term  now,  'public  opinion,' 
and  then,  '  public  indignation.'     In  my  next,  I  will  expose  it. 
Your  friend  and  brother, 

CHARLES  T.  TORRE Y. 


LETTER  III. 

"  My  dear  Brother, — It  is  the  purpose  of  the  present  let 
ter  to  state  the  true  position  of  abolition  societies,  especially 
with  regard  to  their  intended  effects  upon  '  public  opinion.' 
That  you  have  mistaken  and  misstated  it,  will  not  appear 
strange,  when  we  remember  how  uniformly  you  have  opposed 
and  ridiculed  their  principles  and  measures ;  nay,  how  con 
temptuously  you  rejected  information  in  regard  to  both,  but  a 
few  years  since,  in  a  letter  to  this  very  paper.    But  with  you, 
as  with  many  others,  the  progress  of  our  cause  has  wrought 
gradual  changes  of  views  ;   till  now,  the  sin  of  slaveholding, 
the  safety,  expediency,  and  duty,  of  unconditional,  immediate 
emancipation,  and  the  obligation  resting  upon  Northern  men 
and  Christians  to  endeavor  to  bring  about  this  result,  are  no 
longer  disputed  points.     And  so  plain  do  they  now  appear  to 
every  one,  that  it  almost  surpasses  belief,  that  four  brief  years 
ago,  they  were  not  only  denied,  but  derided ;   and  made  the 
ground  of  the  justification  of  lynching  and  mobbing  our  meet 
ings  and  agents,  by  public  meetings  in  BOSTON,  NEW  YORK, 
and  scores  of  other  towns  and  cities,  and  by  the  leading  jour 
nals  of  the  day.     Thank  God  !    that  day  of  darkness  is  now 
passed.   Our  general  principles  are  now  almost  universally  ad 
mitted  to  be  correct,  at  the  North ;  and,  very  extensively,  at 
the  South  also.     The  continuance  of  our  associated  operations 
but  a  few  years  longer,  will  leave  none  to  question  the  correct 
ness  of  our  doctrines. 

"  Yet  many  men  do  not  love  the  instruments  by  which  they 
have  been  convinced  of  the  truth.     Our  measures  have  been 


56  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

assailed  as  fiercely  as  our  theoretic  principles  ever  were  ;  and 
as  vainly.  The  conviction  is  now  fastened  upon  the  majority 
of  the  reflecting  part  of  the  community,  that  the  measures  of 
abolition  societies  are  only  the  common  sense  ways  of  spread 
ing  and  enforcing  upon  men's  consciences  and  practice,  the 
principles  they  associated  to  defend.  The  errors  and  follies 
of  a  few  influential  abolitionists  have  retarded  this  result,  but 
they  cannot  prevent  it,  in  the  end. 

"  What  are  those  measures  ?  1.  The  employment  of  public 
agencies,  to  utter  our  views  in  the  ears  of  the  community. 
The  gospel  institution  of  public  preaching  is  a  divine  warrant 
for  the  use  of  this  means  of  diffusing  the  truth  on  any  subject ; 
to  say  nothing  of  its  obvious  adaptation  to  the  nature  and 
wants  of  mankind.  Most  of  our  agents  have  always  been 
*  ministers  of  the  gospel'  of  the  different  sects ;  selected,  be 
cause  they  were  better  fitted,  and  more  disposed  to  this  work 
than  other  classes  of  men  generally  are. 

"  2.  The  Press,  book  and  periodical,  for  the  diffusion  of 
truth,  the  conviction  of  'gainsayers,'  and  the  rebuke  of  wilful 
opposers,  has  been  employed,  to  a  great  extent,  and  with  the 
happiest  results.  Thirty  thousand  copies  of  a  single  book, 
'  Slavery  as  it  is,'  have  been  put  in  circulation,  all  over  the 
land,  in  six  months  !  chiefly,  too,  by  sale  !  Six  years  ago, 
five  hundred  copies  could  hardly  have  been  given  away,  to 
men  who  would  promise  to  read  them. 

"3.  The  encouragement,  and  employment  (in  suitable 
cases)  of  church  and  other  ecclesiastical  action,  to  free  every 
thing  which  is  called  a  '  church  of  Christ,'  and  every  man 
called  a  '  minister  of  Christ,'  from  all  connivance  at,  or  par 
ticipation  in,  the  sin  of  oppression  ;  so  that  our  common  Chris 
tianity  might  no  longer  be  disgraced  and  corrupted,  by  shel 
tering  the  slaveholder  within  its  folds,  or  shielding  his  con 
science  from  rebuke,  and  his  character  from  deserved  infamy. 
As  we  both  agree  that  *  slaveholding  is  a  sin,'  this  measure  is 
one  of  obvious  duty. 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  57 

"4.  The  encouragement,  and  employment  (in  suitable 
cases)  of  political  action,  in  the  forms  of  petitions,  the  ballot, 
legislation,  judicial  decisions,  and  executive  agency,  to  'break 
the  yoke  of  the  oppressor,'  to  '  execute  judgment,'  and  '  de 
liver  the  oppressed'  from  the  hands  of  the  wicked.  And  if 
slaveholding  be  a  public  crime,  a  violation  of  the  plainest  dic 
tates  and  laws  of  social  morality,  the  duty  of  such  action  is 
plain.  No  one  who  believes  in  the  rightful  existence  of  hu 
man  governments  can  question  it.  Your  deserved  rebuke  of 
those  who  deny  the  rightful  authority  of  the  civil  power,  and 
still  employ  or  favor  such  action,  would  come  with  greater 
force  from  a  man  who  had  done  a  little  more  to  promote  right 
political  action  on  this  subject,  than  yourself.  But  deserved 
it  is,  and  I  will  not  abate  its  force ;  they  ought  to  have  re 
buke  and  satiric  scourges,  from  your  caustic  pen.  And  all 
who  uphold  their  folly,  are  like  unto  them. 

"  5.  Prayer,  though  last  in  order  (save  one),  not  the  least 
important.  The  first  abolition  meeting  ever  held  in  Boston 
began  with  prayer.  The  first  ever  held  in  another  city,  led 
a  deist  to  his  Savior.  Prayer  has  been  our  life.  The  con 
cert  on  the  last  Monday  of  the  month,  has  ever  been  a  favorite 
measure,  one,  I  think,  that  you  have  adopted,  at  our  recom 
mendation.  '  Good  can  come  from  Nazareth.'  And  ever  de 
voutly  recognizing  our  dependence  upon  Almighty  God,  to 
prosper  all  right  means  to  secure  the  great  result,  we  have  con 
tinually  urged  on  all  men  this  duty,  according  to  their  vari 
ous  forms  of  discharging  it ;  you,  in  yours,  the  Quaker  in 
his.  Tens  of  thousands  of  praying  hearts,  '  continually  do 
cry'  unto  the  GOD  OF  SABAOTH,  for  his  guidance  and  bless 
ing,  in  every  part  of  our  land.  That  we  have  always  been 
guided  by  the  '  spirit  of  grace  and  supplication,'  I  will  not  try 
to  prove,  until  you  give  proof  that  the  '  old  and  new  school,'  Tay- 
lorite,  Unitarian,  and  other  controversies  in  the  evangelical 
churches  we  love,  have  been  conducted  and  guided  by  that 
Spirit.  I  speak  not  to  reproach  these  churches,  but  to  anticipate 


58  MEMOIR  OF    TORREY. 

the  reply  of  a  practised  controversialist.  More  prayer  might 
have  prevented  some  of  the  errors  of  a  portion  of  our  gathering 
anti-slavery  host.  Hearty  prayer  may  yet  bring  them  back 
to  their  duty  to  the  slave. 

"  6.  Associated  action  ;  consisting,  as  in  the  case  of  Bible, 
Tract,  and  other  societies,  of  central,  State,  and  local  affili 
ated  societies,  to  diffuse  the  truth,  and  facilitate  the  collection 
and  employment  of  funds. 

"  Our  societies  are  the  basis  of  all  our  other  operations  to 
spread,  and  urge  upon  men  in  their  lives,  conformity  to  our 
principles.  This  you,  and  every  man  of  sense,  knows. 
Hence,  in  attacking  our  associated  action,  you  strike  at  the 
foundation  of  our  whole  enterprise. 

"  What,  then,  was  that  state  of  things  which  warranted  the 
formation  of  societies  for  the  overthrow  of  slavery  ?  Provi 
dence  leads  a  few  men,  Bowne,  Lundy,  Rankin,  Goodell, 
Garrison,  Perry,  Tappan,  and  others  of  lesser  note,  to  take 
right  views  and  to  feel  deeply  on  the  subject.  What  shall 
they  do  ?  All  existing  civil  and  religious  organizations  are 
either  foreign  from  or  corrupted  by  SLAVERY,  the  very  evil  to 
be  removed.  What  shall  they  do  ?  You  reply,  *  use  the  church,' 
or  some  other  existing  body,  as  the  means  of  reform.  The 
reply  is,  there  was  no  church,  or  other  body  then  ready  to  be 
used  for  the  purpose.  None  could  be  fitted  for  use,  but 
by  the  preparation  of  it,  through  changes  of  views  and  feelings 
in  the  bosoms  of  its  individual  members.  When  a  majority, 
in  any  existing  body  is  ripe  for  all  the  action  properly  re 
quired  of  it  in  the  premises,  so  far  the  society's  work  is  done. 
When  all  the  existing  bodies  are  thus  fitted  for  their  duty, 
our  temporary  society  expires  by  its  own  limitation.  When 
we  have  diffused  the  truth,  and  enforced  it  upon  men's  con 
sciences  and  hearts,  till  the  major  part  of  the  members  of  all 
other  organizations  are  ready  to  do  their  duty,  we  shall  dis 
band  ;  not  before. 

"  But  we  aim  to  effect  all  this  by  *  public  sentiment,'  say 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  59 

you ;  and  '  public  opinion'  is  a  dreadful  thing.  It  will  be  so, 
in  the  day  when  '  the  memory  of  the  wicked  shall  rot  /'  when 
'  the  wicked  shall  rise  to  shame,  and  everlasting  CONTEMPT  ;' 
when,  in  a  word,  sin  shall  become  as  infamous  as  it  is  wicked. 
We  are  willing  to  do  a  little  to  hasten  that  consummation  ! 
True,  we  aim  to  affect  '  public  opinion/  How?  By  chang 
ing  the  views  and  feelings  of  individual  men.  By  diffusing 
what  we  believe  to  be  truth,  in  the  customary  modes  in  which 
men,  in  this  age,  diffuse  their  views  on  other  subjects ;  and 
by  urging  the  truth  upon  the  consciences,  hearts,  hopes,  fears, 
interests,  and  sensibilities  of  men.  In  a  word,  we  strive  to 
address  all  that  is  in  man,  by  the  truth  in  regard  to  slavery ; 
and  we  employ  all  those  modes  of  address,  employed  by  other 
men,  on  other  subjects.  We  utter  truth  in  prose  and  rhyme. 
We  reason,  persuade,  entreat,  rebuke,  denounce,  and  expos 
tulate,  according  to  our  'several  ability/  and  as  our  judg 
ment  dictates.  We  err  in  adapting  means  to  ends,  like  other 
men,  yourself  included.  Some  of  us  are  open  to  correction  ; 
others,  not — just  as  in  other  societies.  We  have  some  wrong- 
headed  '  good'  men  among  us,  too  wise  to  learn,  and  some 
'  bad'  men,  (just  as  in  those  societies  which  make  money  only 
the  condition  of  membership,)  who  don't  wish  to  learn. 
But  with  all  our  imperfections,  we  go  on,  effecting  such 
changes  in  individual  '  opinions'  and  '  feelings,'  as  the  world 
has  seldom  known. 

"  But  when  'you  have  your  public  opinion  manufactured 
to  order,'  you  ask,  'what  is  gained?'  Profound  wisdom! 
Question  most  logical !  I  reply,  We  aim  to  change  men's 
'  opinions,'  as  the  only  rational  means  of  leading  them  to  a 
changed  course  of  action.  When,  with  God's  blessing,  we 
have  gotten  their  '  opinions'  right,  we  expect,  with  his  help, 
to  induce  them  to  act  accordingly.  When  the  '  opinions'  of 
the  individual  members  of  a  local  '  public,'  e.  g.  a  church, 
in  Lynn,  or  elsewhere,  are  right,  we  expect  they  will  bear 
their  testimony  against  slavery,  by  excluding  slaveholders 


60  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

who  persist  in  their  sin,  from  the  pulpit  and  communion  table. 
1  What  concord  hath  Christ  with  Belial?'     The  individual 
members  of  that  church,  (having  done  all  they  could  in  their 
church  capacity,)  we  expect,  will  continue  to  act  out  their 
views  in  social  life,  in  every  station  entrusted  to  them.     When 
the  'opinions'  of  the  MASSACHUSETTS  public  are  right,  we 
expect  the  legislative,  judicial,  and  executive  powers  will  all 
be  wielded,  so  far  as  may  be,  in  favor  of  liberty,  and  against 
slavery.     When  the  majority  of  the  NATIONAL  '  public'  are 
right,  CONGRESS  will  sweep  away  every  vestige  of  slavery, 
within  the  limits  of  its  constitutional  power.     Separate  States 
will,  one  by  one,  do  the  same  ;  and  so  on,  till  the   work  is 
done.     We  believe  slaveholding,    1.  sinful,  or  a  violation  of 
the  principles  of  the  divine  law  ;     2.  immoral,  a  crime  of 
such  a  nature  that  church  discipline  and  public  law  can  reach 
it,  in  the  persons  of  the  guilty,  if  they  cease  not  to  transgress  ; 
and,  3.  in  its  nature,  considered  as  unmitigated  oppression, 
and  a  violation  of  every  right,  deserving  to  be   classed  with 
murder  and  other  crimes,  now  considered  infamous.     We 
wish  to  persuade  every  body  else  to  think  the  same,  and  act 
accordingly,  in  their  various   stations  in  life.      Hence  our 
measures.     Individual  resources  were  too  weak  to  effect  the 
work.     We  associated  to  do  it.     Societies  have  called  into 
being  all  the  other  forms  of  effort  we  need  to  secure  the  result. 
They  go  on  and  prosper ;  yea,  and  they  will  prosper,  for  *  a 
blessing  is  in  them.'     And  we  believe  also,  that  so  plainly 
true  are  our  principles,  so  self-evident  are  they ;  with  such 
power  do  they  appeal  to  the  consciences  and  hearts,  and  hopes 
and  fears  of  the  slaveholders,  that  if  we  can  purify   '  public 
opinion,'  and  induce  right  action,  in  the  churches  and  States 
of  the  North,  and  thus  leave  them  without  sympathy  or  coun 
tenance  in  their  guilt,  the  slaveholding   States   Avill  abolish 
slavery  in  their  own  limits  by  public  law.     And  we  believe 
this  the  more,  because  the  social,  religious,  business,  and  po 
litical  connections  of  the  North  and  South  are  so  multiplied, 


LETTERS  TO  KEY.  P.  COOKE.  61 

that  in  securing  the  needed  change  in  '  opinion'  and  practice 
at  the  North,  we  shall  secure  an  almost  equal  change  of  opin 
ion  and  practice  there.  And  so,  slavery  shall  peacefully  pass 
away. 

"  And  this  is  the  only  way  in  which  we  propose  to  '  use 
public  opinion.'  That  you  will  question  the  propriety  of  so 
doing,  none  will  be  more  slow  to  believe,  than  your  friend 
and  brother, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 


LETTER  IV. 

"  Dear  Brother, — Your  general  position  is,  that  the  church, 
by  its  ministry,  and  other  suitable  agencies,  is  God's  ap 
pointed  instrument  to  reform  men ;  and  that  those  who  form 
Abolition  or  other  reform  societies,  assume  to  be  wiser  than 
he,  and  supersede  the  means  of  his  appointment.  This  I 
take  to  be  your  meaning,  though  you  have  stated  it  in  such 
forms,  that  it  requires  no  little  labor  to  decipher  it.  It  would 
have  been  well,  had  you  explained  your  proposition  a  little. 

"  God,  you  tell  us,  has  given  us  a  platform  and  model  of  a 
reform  society,  in  the  church.  What  church  ?  The  Episco 
pal  ?  The  Presbyterian  ?  or  in  a  Congregational,  or  Metho 
dist  church  ?  If  you  answer,  a  «  Congregational  church  ;'  I 
ask,  how  am  I  to  '  reform'  a  corrupt,  slaveholding  *  Presby 
terian'  or  *  Methodist  church.'  You  leave  me  no  way  but  by 
going  and  establishing  a  Congregational l  church1  by  their  side, 
and  under  my  denominational  banner,  hold  forth  the  truth. 
In  a  word,  if  I  desire  to  reform  any  body  out  of  my  sect,  I  must 
do  it  in  a  sectarian  form.  Your  principle,  as  you  state  it, 
precludes  me  from  everything  but  sectarian  action.  If  my 
Methodist  brother  and  myself  see  a  particular  evil  in  both, 
and  in  other  denominations,  we  may  not  unite  our  purses  to 
diffuse  the  truth,  to  overthrow  that  one  evil !  We  must  do 
everything  in  our  <  church,'  or  sectarian  capacity  !  Again, 
6 


62  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

you  speak  of  the  '  gospel,  by  its  ministry,  and  other  agencies 
appropriate,  and  appointed  by  itself,'  as  the  divinely  appointed 
means  of  reform.  Here  again,  you  talk  mysteries.  The  institu 
tion  of  '  preaching,'  abolition  societies  do  employ.  They  per 
suade  l  settled  ministers'  to  preach  on  slavery  and  its  remedy, 
and  men's  duties  to  the  bond  and  the  free.  And  they  employ 
special  ministers,  to  '  preach,'  to  supply  the  *  lack  of  service/ 
on  the  part  of  others,  and  urge  on  all  men,  of  every  sect  and 
no  sect,  the  performance  of  duties  so  long  neglected.  They 
feel  that  special  '  preaching'  is  needed,  to  counteract  the  disas 
trous  effects  of  former  neglect  of  duty,  and  to  roll  back  to  the 
pit  the  dark  waves  of  oppression.  But  what  are  those  '  other 
agencies  appropriate  T  For  it  seems  the  '  ministry'  is,  after 
all,  not  enough !  I  can  think  of  nothing  but  the  press,  lec 
tures,  discussions,  and  political  action,  and  societies  to  collect 
and  apply  funds  to  sustain  and  urge  on  these  agencies.  These 
seem  to  me  '  appropriate'  to  the  wants  of  the  case.  But  these 
'other  agencies'  are  'appointed  by  itself.'  Appointed  by 
what,  or  whom  ?  '  The  gospel  ?'  Where,  and  what  are  they  ? 
In  whom  is  the  appointing  power  vested  ?  In  ministers  ?  Or  in 
laymen  ?  In  '  church  meetings  V  Or  in  a  voluntary  assembly 
of  men  ?  Sir,  I  fear  it  would  require  a  new  address,  to  '  sim 
plify'  your  '  moral  machinery,'  so  as  to  make  it  intelligible  I 
If  you  have  any  meaning  at  all,  it  must  be,  that  ministers^ 
and  church  members  may  appoint,  and  set  in  motion,  under 
their  exclusive  control,  any  '  other  agencies'  they  think  prop 
er;  but  not  another  man  but  they,  must  have  aught  to  do 
with  them  ;  a  principle  not  easily  reconcilable  with  the  con 
stitutions  of  all  our  '  benevolent'  societies,  which  admit  every 
body,  '  good  and  bad,'  on  the  payment  of  MONEY  !  But  I 
confess  you  have  written  something  '  hard  to  be  understood.' 
Perhaps  some  of  our  '  great  men'  can  decipher  it.  But  what 
ever  you  may  mean  in  this  statement,  I  propose  to  show  three 
things  in  this  letter.  And, 

"  1st.  The  l  churches'  of  every  sect,  were  not  prepared,  when 


LETTERS  TO  KEY.  P.  COOKE.  63 

we  began  to  form  abolition  societies,  to  do  what  they  could, 
for  the  overthrow  of  slavery.  At  least  the  exceptions  were 
few,  and  those  almost  wholly  in  the  slave  States.  The  Quakers, 
the  Covenanters,  Reformed  Presbyterians,  Emancipationists 
(Baptists  in  Kentucky  and  Pennsylvania)  were  alone  in  their 
testimony  against  slavery,  and  their  exclusion  of  the  impeni 
tent  slaveholder  from  the  '  ministry'  and  the  '  Lord's  table.' 
In  nearly  every  other  '  church,'  of  every  sect,  at  the  South, 
and  at  the  North  also,  slaveholders  were  welcomed  to  both. 
The  number  of  slaveholding  professors  and  ministers  had 
been  rapidly  increasing  for  several  years.  The  sinfulness  of 
slaveholding,  in  practice,  was  generally  denied,  while  in  the 
abstract,  a  cold-hearted  formal  admission  of  its  evil  character 
was  common.  New  'churches'  were  indeed  formed,  at  the 
South  ;  but,  far  from  exerting  any  influence  for  the  overthrow 
of  slavery,  they  were  corrupted  by  it,  and  served  only  to  in 
crease  the  number  of  slaveholding  professors.  The  religious 
bodies  of  the  North,  of  every  sect,  while  they  remembered 
the  heathen  of  other  lands,  the  sailor,  the  Catholic,  the  Jew, 
the  drunkard,  and  the  prisoner,  uttered  no  voice  of  sympathy 
for  the  slave,  or  of  warning  to  his  oppressor.  The  religious 
Press  was  almost  wholly  silent ;  or  if  it  spoke  at  all,  it  was 
not  to  expose  and  rebuke  oppression,  but  to  express  sympa 
thy  with  the  guilty,  with  the  rarest  exceptions.  What  little 
sympathy  for  the  slave  still  lingered  in  men's  bosoms,  was 
turned  into  the  delusive  channel  of  colonization  on  the  hea 
then  shores  of  degraded  Africa.  The  great  body  of  church 
members  were  almost  entirely  ignorant  of  the  condition  and 
wants  of  the  slaves  ;  and  there  were  no  means  in  existence 
to  enlighten  them.  Few  could  be  persuaded  even  to  read  on 
the  subject.  Few  houses  of  worship  were  open  to  him  who 
plead  for  the  poor.  Few  would  assemble  to  hear  his  plea. 
The  duty,  safety,  and  expediency  of  emancipation,  were 
generally  arid  scornfully  denied.  Compensation  for  ceasing 
to  rob  the  poor  and  helpless,  every  where  demanded.  Eman- 


64  MEMOIR  OF  TORRES'. 

cipation  on  the  soil,  seemed  the  image  of  '  amalgamation,' 
'  wild  beasts  turned  loose,'  and  a  thousand  visionary  horrors. 
That  man's  memory  is  a  short  one,  and  withal  somewhat 
treacherous,  who  cannot  recal  these  and  other  facts,  in  con 
trast  with  the  wonderful  change  which  our  associated  efforts 
have  wrought.  Now,  our  leading  doctrines  are  admitted  to  be 
true.  Information  is  abundant,  accessible  to  all,  and  widely 
diffused.  The  majority  of  the  religious  presses  are  decidedly 
abolition  presses.  Sympathy  for  the  slave  is  warm  and  quick 
in  many  hearts  once  cold  to  his  wrongs.  More  than  one  half 
of  the  ecclesiastical  bodies  of  the  free  States  have  sent  forth 
voices  of  rebuke,  warning,  remonstrance,  and  condemnation, 
in  regard  to  slavery.  Full  3000  churches  have  solemnly 
withdrawn  fellowship  from  slaveholders,  and  many  more  pri 
vately  act  on  the  same  principle.  And  probably  full  5000 
ministers  will  neither  receive  a  slaveholder  to  their  pulpits, 
nor  tolerate  his  polluting  presence  at  the  table  of  the  Lord. 
And  the  social  influences  of  religion,  in  private  life,  have 
been  brought  to  bear,  in  a  thousand  forms,  most  powerfully, 
upon  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  the  guilty.  No  southern 
oppressor  now  leaves  New  England  unrebuked  and  unwarned. 
When  you  so  fondly  record  the  '  echo's'  answer  to  your  own 
inquiry,  '  What  has  abolition  done  ?'  we  should  suppose  you 
had  forgotten  that  echo  only  gives  back  the  voice  it  hears! 
Like  the  man  in  Sleepy  Hollow,  you  must  have  dreamed  for 
eight  years  past,  or  else  measured  the  rest  of  the  religious 
world  by  the  standard  of  the  few  in  and  around  Boston,  who 
know  so  little  of  the  state  of  feeling  in  the  '  churches,'  and 
among  ministers  generally,  as  to  suppose  the  majority  share 
their  views,  or  sympathize  with  their  expressions  of  feeling, 
except  when,  in  rare  cases,  they  correspond  with  abolition 
views. 

"  But  enough.  The  ministry  and  the  churches  were  not 
prepared  to  act;  not  even  to  do  their  plain  duty  to  the  poor 
slaves. 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  65 

"  The  courses  were  open.  The  one  which  you  seemingly 
recommend  in  your  pamphlet  and  your  No.'s  in  this  paper, 
but  which  abolitionists  had  too  much  sense  and  piety  to  adopt, 
viz.  to  '  vacate  the  title'  of  all  existing  churches,  which  coun 
tenanced  slavery,  to  the  name  of  Christian  churches;  and 
then  form  purer  churches  for  the  overthrow  of  slavery.  This 
course  would  have  made  endless  strife,  and  only  ended  in 
forming  some  dozen  new  sects.  And  accordingly,  when  a 
few  men,  (the  excellent  and  philanthropic  CHARLES  STUART, 
among  others)  proposed  to  change  the  mode  of  effort,  and 
conform  it  to  your  views,  the  good  sense  of  the  mass  of  abo 
litionists  at  once  rejected  the  idea.  We  did  not  believe  in 
unchurching  the  body  of  our  churches,  without  suitable  ef 
forts  to  lead  them  back  to  their  duty.  And  happily,  as  I  have 
before  intimated,  we  have  been  so  favored  of  God,  in  this 
thing,  that  we  have  no  occasion  to  resort  to  the  suicidal  course 
you  urge  upon  us ! 

"  The  second  course  was  the  one  we  adopted,  viz.  to  form 
societies  to  collect  funds,  and  employ  them  in  gathering  facts, 
diffusing  truth,  and  by  reasoning,  by  persuasion,  by  rebuke 
and  denunciation,  as  occasion  called  for  the  one  or  the  other, 
to  induce  the  ministers  and  members  of  existing  churches  to 
do  their  duty  ;  taking  it  for  granted  that  timely  and  efficient 
labor  would  persuade  them  to  it.  Nor  have  we  been  greatly 
disappointed, 

"  Besides,  we  were  '  Christians,'  but  of  every  sect.  We 
wished  to  lead  every  sect,  every  'church,'  called  CHRISTIAN, 
to  testify,  in  its  own  appropriate  forms,  against  the  sin  and 
crime  of  slaveholding  ;  so  that  our  common  Christianity  miyht 
no  longer  be  blasphemed.  We  believed  that  every  sect  of 
nominal  disciples,  however  doctrinally  or  practically  corrupt 
they  might  be  in  some  respects,  retained  enough  of  love,  or 
respect  for  the  general  principles  of  God's  law,  of  natural  jus 
tice,  of  humanity,  and  the  requirements  of  the  gospel,  to  war 
rant  the  hope  and  confident  expectation  that  all  might  be 
6* 


66  MEMOIR  OP  TORRE Y. 

united  in  their  testimony  against  this  sin.     Nor  have  our 
hopes  been  vain.     And  we  now  believe,  that  in  a  few  brief 
years,  no  church  of  any  sect,  will  be  so  corrupt,  as  to  tolerate 
the  slaveholder  in  its  fellowship.     Or  if  one  should  be  found, 
it  would  be  an  outcast ;  and  the  whole  family  of  churches,  of 
every  name,  would  repudiate  its  claims  to  bear  the  name  of 
our  Savior.     We  had  no  occasion,  we  have  none  now,  to  ope 
rate  by  seceding,  and  forming  new  '  churches.'     The  old  are 
good  enough  in  all  other  respects  ;  many  are  now  so  in  this  ; 
all,  we  trust,  soon  will  be.     We  did  not  choose  to  put  a  '  con 
structive'  or  real  '  slight  upon  the  Founder  of  the  churches 
of  Christ,  as  you  would  persuade  us  to  do,  in  your — anything 
but  wisdom.     What  did  we  need  to  do  ?     Individually  we 
were  feeble,  our  resources  limited.     Together  we  were  strong. 
We    needed  to  collect   and  diffuse   information,  to  employ 
preaching  and  the  press  to  do  it,  and  to  urge  action  in  corre 
spondence  with  discovered  truth  and  duty  ;  and  the  gathering 
and  employment  of  funds  to  accomplish  all  this,  was  necessary. 
This  must  be  done  by  some  responsible  bodies,  whose  charac 
ter  was  a  pledge  of  fidelity.     We  formed,  therefore,  large 
and  small  societies  for  these  purposes.    We  were  weak  ;  now, 
we  are  strong,  through  '  the  good  hand  of  our  God  upon  us.' 
Soon,  as  the  result  of  our  efforts  and  prayers,  the  whole  influ 
ence  of  the  whole  *  church  of  God,'  of  every  sect,  will,  we  trust, 
be  turned  in  favor  of  freedom  to  the  slave ;  and  then  the  ju 
bilee  is  near !     We  formed  a  voluntary  society,  from  the  very 
necessities  of  the  case.     We  could  cooperate  in  the  work,  in 
no  other  way.     We  included,  in  the  terms  of  membership, 
nothing  but  what  was  necessary  to  the  end  in  view.     And  if  a 
few  nominal  infidels  assented  to  them  and  joined  us,  it  only 
proves  that  in  this  one  respect,  they  were  in  advance  of  your 
self.     If  errorists  in  theology  joined  us,  it  only  shows  that 
4  orthodoxy'  may  sometimes  be  '  dead,'  while  humanity  and 
justice  outlive  correct  theories,  in  the  bosoms  of  men.     But 
we  could  no  more  prevent  such  men  from  joining  a  voluntary 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  67 

society  (had  we  desired  to  do  it),  if  they  assented  to  the  terms 
of  membership,  than  they  can  be  excluded,  constitutionally, 
from  the  Bible,  Tract,  and  Missionary  societies,  which  make 
money  the  only  term  of  membership.  The  other  two  points 
I  am  obliged  to  defer  to  my  next  letter. 

Yours,  with  Christian  affection, 

CHARLES  T.  TORRE Y." 


LETTER  V. 

"  My  dear  Sir, — I  referred,  in  my  last,  to  three  things  I  de 
sired  to  notice ;  one  was,  that  the  churches  were  not  pre 
pared  to  do  their  duty  to  the  slave,  when  abolition  societies 
were  first  formed.  Another  remark  I  wish  to  make  is  this : 
That  if  the  churches  of  every  sect  had  been  disposed  to  be 
faithful,  something  more  than  church  action  was  needed  to 
abolish  slavery.  I.  What  could  the  churches  do,  if  disposed  ? 
They  could  exclude  the  slaveholder  from  the  ordinances  of 
the  gospel,  from  the  ministry  of  the  word,  and  from  fellow 
ship,  unless  he  repented  and  reformed.  They  could,  as 
churches,  unite  in  adopting  and  sending  forth  '  appeals  and 
testimony'  against  the  continuance  of  this  sin  and  crime. 
And  the  various  quasi  church,  or  ecclesiastical  bodies  could 
do  the  same  things.  All  this  has  been  done,  to  a  great  ex 
tent.  It  will  be  done  more  extensively  yet ;  and  indeed  it 
must  be,  ere  slavery  falls.  Congregational  churches,  as  such, 
can  do  no  more.  If  all  did  so  much,  it  would  tell,  with  mighty 
power,  upon  the  hearts,  consciences  and  sensibilities  of  the 
whole  mass  of  slaveholders,  '  professors  and  profane.'  Nor 
can  other  sects,  as  churches,  do  much  else.  We  and  they,  or 
rather  individual  members  of  our,  and  other  sects,  might  form 
voluntary  associations,  to  send  ministers  to  the  South,  who 
would  dare  to  preach  the  whole  truth  about  slavery,  and 
establish  more  abolition  churches  there.  Perhaps  we  ought 


68  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

to  do  it.  What  say  you,  to  a  NEW  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY, 
to  *  evangelize  the  slaveholders'  and  their  slaves  ?  whose  mis 
sionaries  shall  preach  that  *  the  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire  ?' 
who  shall  denounce  '  wo  unto  them  that  use  the  services  of 
their  neighbors  without  hire,  and  pay  them  not  for  their  work ;' 
who  shall,  in  spite  of  slavery  and  its  bloody  laws,  teach  the 
slaves  to  read  the  Bible,  and  then  put  Bibles  and  tracts  into 
their  hands  ?  who  shall  insist  upon  the  sacredness  of  the  mar 
riage  tie  between  slaves ;'  who  shall  preach  against  selling 
men,  women  and  children,  *  by  auction  or  private  sale,'  for 
gold ;  who  shall  preach  against  the  sundering  of  150,000 
slave  families  every  year,  to  make  gain  out  of  the  poor  ? 
What  say  you  to  such  a  movement  ?  Do  you  say  the  men 
who  attempt  it  will  be  '  slain  for  the  witness  of  Jesus  ?'  Is  it 
less  a  duty  to  die  for  him  in  America  than  in  Sumatra  ?  It 
is  my  solemn  conviction  that  the  time  for  such  efforts  is  come  ! 
I  do  not  desire  to  see  any  more  '  churches'  established  in  the 
South,  to  lull  the  sinner  to  sleep,  by  folding  him  in  their  em 
braces.  Let  Zion  awake,  and  put  on  her  garments  of  beauty, 
and  make  war  upon  slavery  ;  and  she  shall  be  more  *  terrible 
than  an  army  with  banners.'  A  few  more  Lovejoys  might 
fall ;  but  the  yoke  of  slavery  would  be  broken  ;  for  we  should 
see  that  slavery  could  not  endure  pure  Christianity.  But  for 
such  efforts,  4  the  churches'  are  not  prepared.  Few  individual 
members  are  so.  We  need  more  piety,  and  more  '  reform/ 
in  the  churches  first. 

"  2.  Not  only  must  the  latent  power  of  the  church  be  brought 
out  and  made  to  bear  on  slavery — but  the  STATE  too  must 
needs  act.  SLAVEHOLDING  is  A  PUBLIC  IMMORALITY  ;  and 
as  such,  it  may  be  reached  by  legislative  enactments ;  just 
as  in  England,  Mexico,  etc.  It  ought  to  be,  in  law,  marked 
with  other  felonies,  as  one  of  the  greatest  violations  of  pub 
lic  morals,  of  private  right,  and  social  duty.  So  President 
EDWARDS  predicted,  in  1795,  that  it  would  be,  in  our  coun- 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  69 

try,  in  fifty  years,  in  1845.  May  God  grant  it,  for  his  Son's 
sake  !  But  how  shall  this  end  be  secured,  we  asked,  at  the 
outset  of  our  abolition  efforts  ?  In  one  of  two  ways — either 
1st,  by  confining  our  efforts  in  the  first  instance,  entirely  to 
the  purification  of  the  'churches,'  and  then,  wait  for  the 
gradual  influence  of  religion  to  mould  legislation,  without 
special  effort  to  secure  it ;  or,  2d,  to  commence  efforts,  si 
multaneously,  for  the  purity  of  the  church  and  to  secure  right 
legislation  from  the  State — to  aim  at  both  moral  and  political 
action.  The  latter  course  was  chosen,  for  several  reasons ; 
among  which  were  the  following:  1.  CHURCH  and  STATE 
action  were  equally  important  in  their  proper  place ;  equally 
obligatory  upon  the  consciences  of  men ;  and  the  same  rea 
sons  called  for,  and  justified  both — so  that  in  urging  one  we 
must,  in  effect,  urge  both.  It  was  wisest  to  do  it  openly,  and 
not  cover  up  one  under  the  folds  of  the  other,  e.  g.  to  urge 
legislation  under  the  cloak  of  religion,  or  vice  versa.  2.  We 
might  secure  many  items  of  valuable  legislation,  by  urging 
the  general  principles  of  natural  justice  and  equity,  before 
the  whole,  or  any  great  part  of  the  churches  were  freed  from 
connivance  at  slavery.  For  after  all,  the  great  principles  of 
truth  and  duty  were  recognized  in  our  constitutions  and  laws, 
and  only  needed  fresh  applications  to  new  statutes,  to  secure 
much  good.  Had  you  consulted  any  thing  but  dame  Echo, 
for  this  history  of  legislation,  these  five  years  past,  you  might 
have  known  that  we  have  been  prospered  in  this  respect  be 
yond  our  most  sanguine  hopes.  The  present  winter  will 
witness  the  renewal  of  our  efforts  and  successes,  in  various 
States  for  similar  purposes. 

3.  We  felt  that  just  so  far  and  so  fast,  as  the  influence  of 
the  ministry  and  the  churches  was  changed  for  the  better,  we 
could  appeal  with  power  and  success  to  the  States  and  to 
Congress,  to  legislate  down  the  greatest  of  public  crimes, 
slaveholding.  And  could  we  now  point  to  the  unanimous 
public  testimony  of  all  sects  against  slavery  as  a  SIN,  we 


70  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

could  soon  write  it  down  a  CRIME,  in  every  statute  book  in 
the  nation. 

Yours,  etc. 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY. 


LETTER  VI. 

"My  dear  Brother, — Having  disposed  of  your  main  posi 
tion,  allow  me  to  make  a  few  remarks  on  some  lesser  items 
employed  in  the  illustration  and  defence  of  it ;  your  first  po 
sition,  viz.  that  the  '  church'  is  the  only  divinely  authorized 
reform  society,  I  have  already  noticed.  It  is  not  true.  Civil 
government  is  an  institution  for  i  reform'  in  respect  of  public 
crime,  '  for  the  terror  of  evil  doers,  and  the  praise  of  them 
that  do  well.'  Yet  civil  governments  do  not  oppose  all  sin  ; 
but  only  such  sins  as  are  acted  out  in  immoral  conduct.  On 
your  principle,  no  Christian  can  join  with  'bad  men,'  or  im 
penitent  sinners,  in  maintaining  the  civil  power.  If  you  re 
ply,  as  you  did  to  brother  Tyler,  that  civil  government  is  a 
divine  institution,  I  rejoin,  that  in  this  case,  God  has  com 
manded  us  to  act  on  a  principle  which  you  proclaim  '  unknown 
to  the  New  Testament/  and  the  parent  of  all  evil !  The  truth 
is,  that  like  all  ultra  anti-reformers,  you  have  started  away 
from  the  follies  of  Garrison  and  his  school,  and  nearly 
reached  the  same  position  by  going  round  the  other  way ! 
The  very  principle  to  which  you  object,  viz.  the  combina 
tion  of  '  good  and  bad'  men,  men  of  every  creed  and  no 
creed,  penitent  and  impenitent,  to  promote  a  select  class  of 
those  moral  and  social  ends  which  are  aimed  at  in  the  law  of 
God  and  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel,  is  the  very  basis  of  all 
civil  government ;  and  every  one  of  your  arguments  against 
your  straw-castle,  '  public  opinion  societies',  is  conclusive 
against  civil  government.  Again — proclaiming  the  truths  of 
the  Bible,  and  of  natural  justice  and  equity  also,  in  regard  to 
a  particular  thing  which  is  both  a  sin  against  God  and  a  pub- 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  71 

lie  crime,  like  slaveholding,  will  have  a  twofold  effect.  1st. 
It  will  lead  some  sinners  to  true  repentance  before  God.  2d. 
It  will  lead  others,  perhaps  the  mass,  to  leave  off  the  out 
ward  act ;  and  thus  secure  great  social  benefits.  In  this  way 
murder  has  been  banished,  while  hatred  to  our  brother  man 
still  burns  in  many  a  bosom.  The  gospel  contemplates  both 
these  results,  and,  where  it  is  faithfully  preached,  measurably 
secures  them,  directly  and  indirectly ;  but  if  the  '  regular' 
administrators  of  the  gospel,  to  a  great  extent,  while  faithful 
in  other  respects,  are  not  so  in  regard  to  one  crime,  is  it  not 
every  man's  duty  to  proclaim  this  forgotten  truth  or  duty  ? 
May  not  two,  or  ten  thousand  unite,  in  printing,  preaching, 
and  praying,  or  sustaining  others  in  doing  so,  till  the  'regular* 
ministry  change  their  course,  and  the  civil  power,  following 
the  church,  does  so  likewise  ?  Meet  this  position  fairly  and 
directly,  or  else  retract  your  whole  pamphlet,  for  logic's  sake  ! 
Again — your  ad  hominem  argument  in  reference  to  the  per 
version  of  abolition  societies  by  some  few  of  our  'coadjutors', 
falls  to  the  ground ;  inasmuch  as  our  basis  of  organization, 
so  far  from  setting  aside  the  '  Christian  ministry,'  only  aims 
to  lead  the  ministry  to  act  in  its  appropriate  sphere  for  the 
slave,  to  remember  the  forgotten  claims  of  our  brethren 
'fallen  among  thieves.'  It  urges  settled  'pastors  or  bishops' 
to  do  this  ;  and  it  supports  agents  or  '  ministers  at  large',  to 
persuade  them  to  it,  and  help  them  persuade  a  slavery-besot 
ted  people  to  do  so.  Some  of  your  ad  captandum  illustra 
tions  under  this  first  head,  I  may  retort  upon  you  lawfully. 
'  Simon  Magus  may  work  well  for  a  while,'  as  President  of 
the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  for  he  might  be  chosen  according  to  its 
charter  and  by-laws.  'Ananias  and  Sapphira  would  pass 
muster'  as  officers  or  life-members  of  the  Bible,  Tract,  or 
Home  Mission  Society,  if  they  paid  their  money  freely ! 
Men  who  hate  the  objects  of  these  noble  societies,  may  join 
in  large  numbers,  get  the  control  of  them,  and  '  turn  them 
against  the  church  and  ministry,'  and  you  cannot  rightly,  or 


72  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

at  any  rate  consistently,  complain.  They  may  reply  to  your 
groanings,  '  Ah  !  friend,  thou  art  mistaken,  this  is  the  ism  we 
subscribed  to  ;  did  we  not  pay  our  money,  all  that  you  asked  ?' 
Again — '  mob-law.'  Would  it  not  be  mob-law,  or  wrong,  for 
good  men  to  agree  to  unite  to  aid  the  regular  operations  of 
law,  in  a  lawful  way  ?  To  form  a  society,  e.  g.  to  *  detect 
horse-thieves,'  such  as  exist  all  over  this  State  ?  '  Mob-gos 
pel',  indeed  !  when  individuals  unite  their  resources  to  spread 
neglected  truth,  and  persuade  the  regular  administrators  of 
the  truth,  to  abide  by  it ! 

"  Your  second  objection  is  obscurely  worded.  It  seems  to 
mean  (p.  12),  that  the  members  of  abolition  societies  will 
join  them  from  different  views — some  to  promote  Christian 
ity,  some  to  promote  infidelity.  Be  it  so.  What  is  to  hinder 
them  from  doing  the  same  thing  in  regard  to  the  A.B.C.F.M.  ? 
MONET?  But  are  abolition  principles  true  and  scriptural'? 
If  so,  to  spread  them,  and  lead  men  to  act  upon  them,  is  a 
gain  to  religion  and  human  happiness.  If  '  infidels'  have 
sense  enough  to  see  the  advantage  to  spreading  such  views, 
or  to  aid  in  supporting  civil  government,  I  say,  amen  !  to  their 
doing  it.  As  to  '  many  infidel  coadjutors,'  we  have  them  not. 
If  we  had,  it  would  not  be  the  first  time  that  men  from  the 
mere  impulses  of  sympathy  and  natural  conscience,  had  put  to 
shame  '  professed'  disciples  of  the  Redeemer.  '  Stones  in  the 
streets'  and  '  dumb  asses'  may  sometimes  rebuke  '  teachers  of 
the  law.'  3d.  You  assert  that  we  assume  a  false  principle  in 
morality.  That  a  man  unconverted  may  be  relied  on  to  help 
put  down  a  single  form  of  depravity,  while  he  loves  sin  in 
general.  How  much  are  such  men  '  relied'  on  to  support  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  in  New  England  ?  How  much  to 
sustain  civil  government?  To  enforce  law  and  good  order 
in  society  ?  This  same  '  false  principle  of  morality'  you  will 
find  every  where,  even  in  some  '  divine  institutions.'  Who 
relies  upon  their  aid  ?  Does  Jehovah  ?  '  He  putteth  NO 
TRUST  in  HIS  SERVANTS.'  But  he  uses  the  aid  of  <  wicked' 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  73 

men  for  some  purposes.  And  he  authorizes  his  people  to  use 
their  services  to  maintain  law,  public  worship,  spread  politi 
cal  and  religious  truth  by  the  press,  preaching,  voluntary  so 
cieties,  such  as  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  and  abolition  societies. 
How  much  they  are  to  be  '  relied'  on,  in  emergencies,  is 
another  question.  Our  *  benevolent'  societies  take  their  aid, 
while  they  will  give  it ;  so  do  we.  If  any  of  them  get  the 
t  generalship'  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  of  Massachusetts'  aboli 
tion  societies,  and  pervert  them  to  evil  purposes,  if  no  other 
remedy  can  be  found,  we  will  leave  them,  and  try  again. 
But  as  for  saying  to  such  men,  '  we  repulse  your  aid,  so  far 
as  you  will  give  it  to  good  ends,'  we  shall  not  do  it.  If  vol 
untary  societies  were  churches,  the  mode  in  which  their  aid 
would  be  sought,  would  be  different.  But  they  are  not 
Hence,  they  are  welcomed  as  '  members'  in  all  of  them.  If  you 
may  ask  such  men  to  join  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  to  promote  the 
t  whole  of  religion  and  morality,'  in  a  land  where  neither  re 
ligion  nor  morality  exist,  then  I  may  ask  them  to  join  an 
abolition  society  to  promote  some  parts  of  religion  and  mo 
rality,  in  a  land  where  the  other  parts  of  morals  and  religion 
flourish.  And  when  you  have  turned  all  such  men  out  of 
all  our  '  benevolent'  societies  which  ask  only  money  as  an 
admittance  fee,  come  to  us  and  ask  us  to  do  the  same  in  our 
abolition  societies,  where  some  outward  respect  for  a  part  of 
the  political  and  social  principles  of  revelation  is  a  condition 
of  membership. 

"Your  fourth  objection  to  'reform  societies'  (p.  14)  is, 
that  it  is  of  '  the  nature  of  a  profession  of  religion'  to  join 
them.  The  answer  to  this  is  already  given  by  implication. 
Apply  your  objection  to  civil  government.  The  suppression 
of  vices  and  crimes  is  the  great  end  of  religion,  so  far  as 
time  is  concerned.  Men  who  love  some  sins,  join  with  some 
'  Christians'  to  uphold  a  civil  power,  the  object  of  which  is, 
so  far  as  it  goes,  the  same  as  that  of  religion.  If  their  no 
tions  of  religion  are  '  confused,'  they  will  mistake  this  part 
7 


74  MEMOIR  OF  TOKRET. 

for  the  whole  of  religion  ;'  (just  what  occurs  every  where  I) 
Hence  they  will  *  denounce  as  time-servers',  all  '  professors 
of  religion"  who  don't  uphold  the  civil  power  in  maintaining 
a  few  '  limbs  of  religion,'  while  the  '  root  of  depravity'  re 
mains  untouched !  Anti-slavery  societies  are  not  churchesy 
but  merely  voluntary  societies  i  to  collect  and  use  funds'  to 
spread  certain  truths,  moral  and  political,  about  which  their 
members  agree,  and  urge  them  upon  men's  hearts  arid  con 
sciences  as  rules  of  conduct. 

"Your  fifth  objection  is,  that  such  societies  give  great 
power  into  the  hands  of  a  few,  who  may  be  bad  men.  And 
that  such  men  have  peculiar  '  scope'  for  gaining  the  ascen 
dancy.  I  reply :  No  societies  in  the  world  wield  such  tre 
mendous  power  as  our  Foreign  and  Home  Mission  societies. 
MONEY  alone  is  the  term  of  membership.  Hence  there  is 
peculiar  '  scope'  for  bad  men  to  get  them  under  their  control 
and  pervert  them  to  vile  purposes.  Do  you  reply  :  If  their 
conduct  is  exposed,  they  will  soon  be  without  support  ?  Not 
if  they  have  l  permanent  funds,'  or  can  gain  unbounded  confi 
dence  from  thousands  of  the  community,  so  that  the  bad  man 
or  men  '  cannot  be  separated  from  the  cause  ;'  and  then,  wo 
to  the  '  Christian  ministry,  and  everything  else  that  opposes 
the  society's  oracle  !'  Our  abolition  societies  have  no  perma 
nent  funds.  The  press  is  free  to  expose  their  perversion.  I 
grant  you,  a  few  of  them  have  been  partially  perverted.  You 
ought  to  have  recalled  the  '  Evangelical  Missionary  society,' 
now  in  Unitarian  hands  ;  the  Groton,  Cambridge,  and  count 
less  other  '  church  funds,'  before  you  uttered  a  taunting  com 
plaint.  '  Churches,'  aided  by  '  trustees'  and  the  laws  of  the 
land,  cannot  always  prevent  such  perversions.  And  if  you 
are  disposed  to  argue  this  point  at  length,  I  will  fill  a  quarto 
volume  with  just  such  perversions,  under  ecclesiastical  'ma 
chinery,'  and  by  <  churches,'  and  '  professors  of  religion,'  it 
you  will  promise  to  bear  the  expense  of  printing  it.  Your 
argument  proves  a  little  too  mucli  for  your  purposes. 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  75 

"  6.  You  say,  our  principle  of  combination  is  an  absurdity 
and  the  parent  of  absurdities.  And  you  instance  Thomas  Paine 
and  David  Brainerd,  uniting  to  abolish  slavery,  because  they 
agree  in  regard  to  the  great  principles  of  human  rights.  You 
think  one  must  confide  in  the  other's  assent  to  his  Christianity 
or  infidelity,  in  this  matter,  in  joining  an  abolition  society. 
Sir,  have  you  yet  to  learn,  whether  it  is  Christianity  or  infi 
delity  that  condemns  slaveholding  as  a  moral  wrong,  and  de 
mands  its  immediate  overthrow  ?  Have  you  yet  to  learn, 
that  while  the  Christian  may  condemn  this  wrong  as  a  sin 
against  a  God  of  holiness,  and  grieve  at  the  dishonor  done  to 
his  law,  by  those  who  commit  it;  yet  both  the  Christian  and 
infidel  have  consciences ;  may  discover  the  moral  turpitude 
of  slavery ;  may  be  sensible  of  the  moral  and  social  evils  it 
inflicts  upon  the  slave  and  '  entails  upon  his  oppressor  ;'  and 
unite  in  suppressing  this  PUBLIC  CRIME  by  law  ?  May 
unite  in  sustaining  presses  and  agents,  and  printing  books,  to 
induce  men  to  do  it  ?  If  not,  it  may  *  edify'  you  to  learn  that 
THOMAS  PAINE  was  an  officer  of  the  legislature  of  Pennsyl 
vania  which  abolished  slavery  in  that  State ;  and  that  HIS 
official  signature,  as  Clerk,  gave  validity  to  that  deed  of  Chris 
tian  love  and  duty.  Nay,  more ;  he  was  a  prominent  pro 
moter  of  the  act !  And  if  David  Brainerd  had  been  a  mem 
ber  of  that  legislative  body,  and  refused  to  aid  him  in  the  deed, 
everything  holy  in  religion,  or  naturally  good  in  humanity, 
would  have  condemned  him,  in  spite  of  his  eminent  piety. 
My  dear  brother,  the  happy  emancipated  slaves  rejoiced  most 
heartily  at  such  a  noble  '  absurdity,'  as  that  I  have  named. 
I  hope  to  see  more  of  them,  before  you  and  I  go  to  heaven. 
If  Brainerd  will  not  help  Thomas  Paine,  and  every  body 
else,  by  giving,  preaching,  praying,  printing  and  voting,  to  do 
the  work  of  humanity,  justice,  mercy  and  truth,  save  me  from 
his  *  piety !'  If  he  refuses  the  aid  of  Paine  or  others,  in  the 
same  work,  save  me  from  his  self-righteous  bigotry  !  The 
true  principle  of  action  is,  the  Christian  ought  to  unite  in  ac- 


76  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

tion  with  all  other  men  (not  Christians)  in  doing  everything 
that  is  right,  by  right  and  wise  means.  The  time  to  refuse  co 
operation  is  when  something  wrong  is  proposed,  or  unwise 
means  to  attain  it  are  presented.  This  principle  forbids  me 
to  admit  an  unbeliever  to  the  '  church/  as  a  means  of  doing 
good ;  but  it  does  not  prevent  us  both  from  joining  the  *  How 
ard  Benevolent  society/  to  relieve  the  wants  of  the  poor,  or 
the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  or  an  abolition  society. 

"  As  your  exposure  of  Mr.  Garrison's  inconsistencies  (p. 
17)  has  no  apparent  connection  with  your  argument,  I  will 
only  reply  to  it,  "  Let  him  that  is  without  (the  same)  sin, 
cast  the  first  stone."  On  the  other  hand,  I  affirm,  as  a  mat 
ter  within  my  own  knowledge,  that  thousands  acknowledge 
their  indebtedness  to  the  abolition  effort,  for  increased  spiritu 
ality  of  mind,  and  zeal  in  every  good  word  and  work. 
7.  Whether  in  'unsettling  the  peace  and  order  of  society' 
to  some  extent,  abolition  and  other  reform  societies  have  done 
good  or  evil,  depends  upon  the  question,  whether  the  evil  to 
be  removed,  had  not  twined  itself  so  completely  through  all 
the  fibres  of  society,  that  such  an  unsettling  was  the  necessary 
result  of  freely  preaching  the  truth,  and  urging  it  upon  the 
heart.  But  your  whole  paragraph  on  this  point  is  unanswer 
able  ;  as  it  consists  not  of  argument,  or  of  facts  stated,  but 
'verba —  verba  inana/  such  as,  'gaping  after  wonders/ 
'spiritual  quackery/  '  milleniums  by  steam/  ' gullibility  of 
the  people/  'jargon  of  crudities/  etc.,  etc.  All  this  and  more, 
in  twenty-five  lines,  from  one  who  complains  of  '  hard  words' 
and  denunciation  1'  And  here  end  your  arguments  against 
abolition  societies.  I  have  omitted  none,  misstated  none,  so 
far  as  they  were  intelligibly  stated.  Some  few  things,  indeed, 
were  '  too  deep'  or  '  too  high  for  me.'  You  will  have  inferred, 
from  what  I  have  already  said,  that  our  '  strong  arguments' 
in  favor  of  abolition  societies,  are  something  more  than  a  mere 
popular  analogy  drawn  from  the  history  of  the  temperance 
reform.  The  nature  of  the  case,  the  wants  of  the  slave,  the 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  77 

claims  of  obvious  duty,  and  the  facilities  for  effort,  in  this 
Christian  land,  are  a  better  basis  of  action  than  a  mere  anal 
ogy,  however  good. 

Your  friend  and  brother, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 


LETTER  VIL 

"  Dear  Brother, — Your  second  general  position,  that  <  pub 
lic  opinion,  when  formed  to  our  wish,  is  not  the  best  instru 
ment  of  reform,'  being  true  in  itself,  to  a  great  extent,  though 
not  universally,  I  have  little  quarrel  with  it,  I  will,  however, 
notice  in  passing,  a  few  of  your  general  proofs,  1.  That  the 
apostles  never  appealed  to  the  numbers  converted  as  a  motive 
to  conversion,  or  to  induce  men  to  examine  the  claims  of  re 
ligion,  is  a  little  more  than  you  can  prove.  They  relied 
mainly  on  the  truth.  So  do  we.  They  chronicled  their  suc 
cesses.  So  do  we ;  both  that  God  may  be  praised,  and  our 
brethren  encouraged  to  further  effort.  They  tell  us  of  their 
*  new  auxiliaries'  in  Pontus,  Pamphylia,  Ephesus,  Antioch, 
etc.,  just  as  we  speak  of  them,  and  for  the  same  reasons. 
They  also  knew,  that  when  the  controlling  majority  were 
christianized,  idolatry  would  be  made  a  public  crime.  So  we 
know,  in  respect  of  slavery.  The  day,  to  them,  was  far  off; 
to  us,  it  is  near  ;  and  increasing  numbers  show  it.  2.  '  Pub 
lic  opinion,'  or  regard  to  the  approbation  of  others,  /  do  not 
consider  *  one  of  the  meanest  of  passions.'  Rightly  governed 
and  properly  appealed  to,  it.  is  the  source  of  the  noblest  good. 
When  God  holds  up  before  men  '  everlasting  shame  and  con 
tempt,'  as  a  fruit  of  sin,  I  suppose  he  appeals  to  it  as  a  means 
of  leading  men  to  consider  the  truths  by  which  they  may  be 
saved.  It  is  an  high  example,  and  of  binding  authority. 
3.  That  abolition  societies  '  do  not  deal  with  the  sinner's  con 
science,'  is  gratutious  assertion,  directly  contrary  to  a  mass  of 
evidence  which,  of  itself,  makes  a  small  library.  See  Weld's 
7* 


78  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

£  Bible  Argument,'    Green's    'New  Testament  Argument,' 
*  Phelps'  Lectures,'  and  books,  pamphlets,  and  papers  without 
number.  Your  assertion  is  a  fair  inference  from,  your  premises, 
"but  contrary  \ofact.      4.  That  *  public  opinion  is  not  always  a 
right  opinion,'  we  know,  and  hence  before  '  using  it  as  the  in 
strument  of  reform'-ed  legislation  and  church  action,  we  seek  to 
make  it  so,  by  using  appropriate  means.  But  that  a  *  reforming 
public  opinion'  was  t  e  foundation  of  the  proceedings  against 
the  witches  of  other  days,  is  a  truly  valuable  historical  discov 
ery  !     You  have  made  others,  to  be  noticed  hereafter.     When 
the  wrong  l  opinions'  of  men,  lead  them  to  cherish  slavery  in 
the  churches,  and  support  it  by  law.  common  sense  tells  us  that 
we  must  spread  the  truth  about  slavery,   and  change  their 
'  opinions,'  in  order  to  induce  different  action.    When  slavery, 
imprisonment  for  debt,  and  other  like  evils,  may  be  done  away 
by  the  action  of  the  majority  in  church  and  State,  we  must 
change  the  opinions  of  the  majority  of  that  '  public,'  on  whom 
action  depends.     And  then,  that  enlightened  public  will  do 
the  needful  'reforming'    acts.      Before  they  do,   however, 
many  individuals,  by  the  '  force'  of  truth,  will  be  led  to  right 
individual  action.     But  afterwards  the  majority  of  the  public, 
by  '  force'  of  law  and  an  upright  magistracy,  will  restrain  the 
minority  from  the  continued  commission  of  the  crime.     In 
doing  the  preparatory  work  to  such  a  result,  the  '  gospel,'  by 
the  ministry,  by  its  social  influences,  and  judicial  or  disci 
plinary  acts,  has  its  appropriate  place.     Individual  and  asso 
ciated  effort  to  spread  truth  and  urge  action,  have  their  '  ap 
propriate  sphere.'     WOMAN  has  hers  ;     man  has  his.    And 
if,  when  one  part  of  those  who  ought  to  do  a  share  of  it,  neg 
lect  their  duty,  it  will  not  be  more  strange  if  a  man  or  woman 
get  out  of  'their  sphere,'  to  supply  the  defect,  than  that  Ba 
laam's  beast  got  out  of  hers  in  talking.   Nor  will  it  be  strange, 
if  some  who  neglect  their  duty,  and  perhaps  find  fault  with  the 
mistakes  of  those   who   try  to   do  it,   however  imperfectly, 
should  be  denounced,  not  always  with  Christian  moderation 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  79 

and  meekness,  but  as  upholding  '  mob-law,'  or  '  mob-gospel.' 
5.  *  Public  opinion  societies   tend  to  the  cultivation  of  an 
unchristian  spirit,'  say  you.     You  are  wisely  careful,  under 
this  head,  to  insinuate  much,  and  say  little.     I  reply  only,  I 
see  no  such  tendency  in  abolition  societies.     Their  aim  is  to 
spread  truth,  and  urge  the  performance  of  duty,  on  the  '  pub 
lic,'  and  on  individual  men.     I  see  great  tendencies  in  oppo 
sition  to  abolition  efforts,  to  produce  an  unchristian  spirit.     I 
think  I  can  give  you  examples,  without  number.     But  cui 
bono  ?     As  you  have  misrepresented  our  societies,  in  saying 
that  we  '  rely  upon  a  wicked  world's  opinions,'  in  distinction 
from  the  force  of  truth  and  the  right  or  wrong  of  those  opin 
ions,  why  waste  time  in  words  about '  tendencies,'  either  way  ? 
I  deny  that  abolitionists  have  *  denounced'  their  religious  or 
their  irreligious  opponents,  so  much  or  so  harshly,  as  their  oppo 
nents  have  '  denounced'  them  ;    and  stand  ready  to  prove  it, 
from  the  columns  of  the  leading  religious  and  political  papers, 
as  compared  with  abolition   papers.     But  again,  cui  bono  ? 
It  is  sometimes  right  to  denounce;  sometimes  wrong;  cir 
cumstances  must  decide.    There  ore  important  interests  staked 
upon  the  result  of  abolition  efforts.     I  ought  to  feel  deeply, 
and  speak  strongly,   when  men  ignorantly  or  lightly,  and 
especially  when  they  obstinately,  oppose  them.    Nor  am  I  to 
be  charged  with  'impatience  of  contradiction,'  etc.,  when  I 
do  so.     And  when  we  consider  the  incessant  storm  of  abuse 
lavished  on  every  prominent  abolitionist,  it  is  no  great  won 
der  that  some  have  grown  morose  and  waspish.     I  defend 
them  not.     We  ought  always  to  be  'gentle,  easy  to  be  en 
treated,'  etc.     6.   That  abolition  societies  *  unsettle  the  bal 
ance  of  religious  minds,'  or  make  them  hobby  men,  I  deny. 
It  is  no  more  true  than  of  any   topic  of  deep  interest  to  the 
human  mind.     I  have  seen  a  revival  crushed  by  zeal  for 
foreign   missions !      It  was  made   a  hobby,  and  hobby   men 
mounted  and  rode  it.      I  have  sometimes  thought  your  op 
position   to  our  abolition  cause,  was  a  very  great  hobby ! 


80  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

Your  final  objection,  that  we  only  aim  to  '  stop  one  (or 
more)  issue  of  human  depravity,  without  healing  or  dimin 
ishing  the  fountain,'  is  the  essence  of  all  Garrison  and  H. 
C.  Wright's  objections  to  the  operations  of  civil  government ; 
and  is  as  good  in  the  one  case  as  the  other — good  for  nothing. 
As  abolitionism  does  not  '  reduce  to  the  authority  of  mere  hu 
man  advisement'  the  argument  against  slavery,  but  con 
stantly  appeals  to  the  authority  of  God,  to  induce  men  to 
cease  from  this  sin,  and  to  induce  churches  and  States  to  re 
prove  and  legislate  down  this  crime,  the  '  gospel  argu 
ment  against  all  sin,'  is  not  '  weakened  thereby.'  It  pre 
sents  a  neglected  and  disowned  portion  of  'the  gospel,'  to 
those  who  profess  to  receive  the  rest  of  it ;  and  so  helps  to 
secure  the  proclamation  of '  the  whole  of  it,  in  its  connections,' 
to  all  men.  It  seeks  not  to  '  divide'  labor,  but  to  do  that  which 
is  left  undone  by  others.  And,  if  Paul  and  Peter  were  now 
living,  it  doubts  not,  that  to  exterminate  slavery  from  this 
Christian  and  free  land,  Paul  would  joyfully  become  '  secre 
tary,'  and  Peter  'general  agent'  of  the  MASSACHUSETTS 
ABOLITION  SOCIETY.  If  they  were  going  to  labor  in  a 
purely  heathen  land,  they  would  not,  but  would  do  as  they  did 
formerly,  viz.  preach  the  whole  law  and  gospel,  to  a  people 
utterly  ignorant  of  every  principle  of  both.  We  address  a 
people  needing  *  light  and  love'  on  a  select  class  of  topics, 
while  in  other  respects  they  know  their  duty.  Hence  our 
present  position. 

Yours,  fraternally, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 


LETTER  VIII. 

"  Dear  Brother, —  You  have  a  plan  to  abolish  slavery. 
First,  you  delineate  the  course  of  the  apostles,  and  justify 
their  conduct  in  refraining  from  any  very  special  assault  up 
on  slavery.  Your  whole  train  of  thought  seems  borrowed 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  81 

from  George  Thompson's  address  in  Boston,  Lynn,  Ando- 
ver  and  elsewhere ;  and  is,  for  the  most  part,  just  and  forci 
ble.  A  few  slight  matters,  I  dissent  from.  I  find  no  apostolic 
recognition  of  the  fact,  that  '  under  some  circumstances,  and 
with  a  limited  knowledge  of  duty,  a  man  might  be  a  Christian 
and  a  slaveholder.'  What  circumstances,  and  how  limited 
that  knowledge  must  be,  are  topics  well  worthy  of  inquiry, 
on  the  part  of  all  slaveholders  and  their  friends.  How  little 
must  a  man  know,  to  excuse  him  for  robbing  the  poor  of  their 
wages  ?  What  can  excuse  him  for  holding  man  as  an  article 
of  property  ?  *  SLAVEHOLDING  is  sinful,'  say  you.  I  admit 
it.  I  infer,  that  like  all  other  sins,  like  property  stealing, 
adultery,  and  murder,  man-stealing  is  not  consistent  with 
Christian  character.  How  much,  or  how  long,  any  man  may 
commit  a  particular  sin  and  be  a  Christian,  I  believe  the  apos 
tles  do  not  inform  us  !  I  hope  we  shall  never  know  !  But 
that  the  slaveholders  of  America  are  *  without  excuse',  may 
be  seen  in  the  fact,  that  the  same  statute  book  which  care 
fully  strips  the  colored  man  of  every  right,  with  equal  care, 
guards  every  right  of  the  white  man  !  The  same  men  who 
exercise  the  power  of  robbing  the  black  man  of  his  rights, 
know  how  to  respect  the  same  rights  in  the  white  man  !  But 
God  judgeth  the  heart  of  each  man.  I  do  not.  I  only  af 
firm  the  guilt  of  the  sin,  and  its  inconsistency  with  piety  and 
honesty,  and  warn  men  to  leave  it  off. 

"  2.  You  admit  that  minisers  ought  to  be  more  direct 
in  preaching  against  slavery,  than  the  apostles  were.  Agreed ; 
the  terrors  of  apostolic  example  neglected,  no  longer  cluster 
about  us.  We  are  placed  in  different  circumstances  and  have 
different  duties.  So  the  missionaries  in  the  Sandwich  Islands 
may  laudably  adhere  closely  to  apostolic  example  there,  where 
the  whole  work  of  enlightening  the  mind  and  creating  law  is 
to  be  done ;  while  they  send  home  fervent  exhortations  to  us 
to  act  more  directly  against  slavery,  in  a  land  of  gospel  light 
and  constitutional  liberty  like  ours.  Oh,  that  all  southern, 


82  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

and  all  northern  ministers  would  be,  not  a  little,  but  a  good 
deal  more  direct  in  preaching  against  slavery.  It  would  be  a 
great  help  to  our  struggling  cause.  My  dear  brother,  I  beg 
you  to  write  and  print  an  address  to  them,  to  urge  this  duty  \ 
At  least  5000  of  them  now  discharge  it.  The  Lord  hasten 
the  day  when  the  few  slaveholding  ministers  of  Massachusetts 
shall  be  alone  in  neglecting  it !  Don't  ask  me  who  they  are, 
while  southern  slaveholders  find  access  to  northern  pulpits  ! 

"3.  'Paul  sent  Onesimus  back  to  Philemon !'— Well, 
you  have  found  out  that  he  did  not  send  him  back  to  be  a 
slave.  I  think  it  plain  that  he  sent  him  back  to  be  e- 
mancipated.  Knowing  the  faith  and  love  of  Philemon ; 
knowing  how  very  plainly  his  own  preaching  had  shown 
Philemon  the  irreconcilable  hostility  between  slaveholding 
and  piety ;  knowing  that  Philemon  hated  slavery  and  would 
not  practice  it,  and  desirous  that  Onesimus,  now  a  Christian 
bishop,  should  have  the  civil  benefits  and  legal  rights  of  a 
freeman,  he  sends  him  with  an  inspired  letter  of  introduction, 
back  to  his  '  brother  beloved,'  to  be  received  as  a  dear  friend, 
even  as  '  Paul  the  aged.'  Paul  will  even  pay  Onesimus' 
debts !  or  make  up  for  his  thefts  when  a  slave !  if  he  ever 
was  one.  Whenever  I  have  as  good  evidence  of  the  *  obe 
dience'  of  any  converted  '  slaveowner,'  and  can  send  back 
converted  slaves  transformed  into  ministers  of  the  gospel, 
with  inspired  letters  of  introduction,  I  will  send  them  back  to 
their  masters  ;  but  in  every  other  case,  I  shall  treat  the  poor 
fugitive  according  to  the  law  of  God — Deut.  xxiii.  1C.  In 
a  word,  this  epistle  of  Philemon  utterly  condemns  every 
slaveholder  who  is  converted,  and  then  holds  on  to  his  slaves 
still.  No  man,  guided  by  its  letter  or  spirit,  could  hold  man 
in  chattel-slavery  an  hour. 

"  4.  You  suppose  that  we  have  closed  up  our  way  of 
access  to  the  minds  of  slaveholders,  by  telling  them  plain 
ly  to  *  let  the  oppressed  go  free.'  You  are  mistaken.  The 
misrepresentations  of  the  northern  servile  press  closed  up  the 


LETTERS  TO  REV.  P.  COOKE.  83 

door  of  effort  for  a  time.  Now  it  is  opening  more  and  more 
widely  on  every  hand.  The  south  now  understand  us  better, 
because  of  our  publications  which  have  been  widely  read 
there ;  and  we  have  every  reason  to  believe  that  we  shall  dis 
cuss  slavery  in  three  years  as  freely  in  New  Orleans,  as  we 
now  do  in  Delaware  and  parts  of  Virginia  and  Maryland,  or 
in  the  free  States.  *  Christ  crucified,'  by  which  I  suppose 
you  mean  the  atonement  and  its  kindred  doctrines,  have  long 
been  known  and  preached  all  over  the  South.  But  slavery 
has  grown  stronger  and  stronger.  The  anti-slavery  part  of 
divine  truth  has  been  hid  under  a  bushel.  It  is  this  that 
needs  to  be  urged  at  the  south  and  at  the  north ;  and  then, 
the  '  prison  doors  will  open'  before  the  Lamb  of  God.  Your 
cautious  way  of  preaching,  has  preached  150,000  slave-hold 
ers  into  Christian  churches!  It  is  high  time  to  enlighten 
them,  and  strive  to  bring  them  to  repentance,  or  turn  them 
out  again,  if  they  will  not  give  up  their  sin.  This  we  are 
trying  to  do.  Not  a  few  have  already  been  led  to  repentance 
by  our  efforts ;  others  are  '  under  conviction  ;'  others  blas 
pheme,  as  we  expected.  One  of  the  penitent  ones,  Dr.  NEL 
SON,  has  told  us,  that  the  stand  taken  by  those  northern 
Christians  who  hold  back  from  abolition  efforts,  is  the  great 
est  obstacle  he  finds  in  leading  his  friends  who  hold  slaves,  to 
repentance.  Oh,  that  you,  my  dear  brother,  would  hear  the 
truth  from  his  lips — the  lips  of  a  penitent,  reformed  slave 
holder — a  slaveholder  no  longer. 

"  5.  I  am  surprised  to  see  you  avow  that  you  think 
that  the  fact  that  the  lives  of  abolitionists  were  endangered 
by  going  to  the  south,  a  proof  that  they  were  wrong  in  their 
principles  and  measures  !  Surely,  this  is  one  of  your  ultra- 
isms  ;  not  a  sober  opinion.  On  such  a  principle,  every  mar 
tyrdom  to  truth  is  justifiable  ; — but  you  are  surely  straining 
a  point  here,  and  not  arguing  soberly. 

"  Before  closing  this  letter,  allow  me  to  notice  some  more 
of  your  historical  discoveries.  1.  That  the  feudal  system 


84  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

was  slavery,  chattel-slavery,  and  that  it  was  done  away  by 
Christianity,  Had  you  ever  glanced  over  Sismondi's  literary 
and  historical  works,  to  say  nothing  of  the  life  of  Napoleon, 
you  would  have  made  no  such  assertion.  Infidelity  and  war 
had  quite  as  much  to  do  with  its  extirpation,  as  the  Bible  and 
Christianity ;  and  commerce  much  more.  2.  That  the  aboli 
tion  of  slavery  was  effected  in  the  now  free  States,  without 
abolition  societies  !  Shades  of  Jay,  Woolman,  Benezet, 
Franklin,  Sewall,  Edwards  and  Rush !  How  soon  are  your 
memories,  and  your  associated  and  successful  efforts  forgot 
ten  !  Not  by  abolitionists — but  by  those  who  oppose  them, 
in  the  face  of  all  history.  Surely,  you  need  to  refresh  the 
knowledge  of  your  *  school'  boy  days,  ere  you  make  such  a 
statement  again,  lest  the  *  uncircumcised  laugh'  at  you.  3. 
That  West  India  emancipation  was  not  the  work  of  societies 
acting  on  the  same  principles  as  our  abolition  societies  ! ! ! 

Oh  pro ,  I  was  about  to  burst  out  in  Latin,  the  better  to 

cover  up  my  indignation  at  a  falsehood  so  notorious,  so  glar 
ing.  That  you  meant  to  deceive,  I  will  not  believe  ;  yet,  it 
is  hard  to  suppose  a  man  of  your  intelligence  so  ignorant  of 
facts.  Perhaps  it  was  a  lapsus  pennae  !  4.  That  no  '  influ 
ence  from  this  country  had  the  weight  of  a  feather  in  effect 
ing'  British  emancipation!  Here,  again,  I  impeach  your 
competency  to  testify — you  speak  ignorantly.  5.  Lady  echo 
has  told  you,  that  abolitionists  have  done  nothing !  I  some 
times  think  that  you  have  repeated  this  till  you  believe  it. 
GLADSTONE,  the  great  Demarara  slaveholder,  is  said  to  have 
taunted  the  abolitionists  in  Parliament,  the  very  night  the 
emancipation  bill  passed,  that  they  had  labored  forty  years 
and  done  nothing !  You  ought  to  know  better  the  state  of 
our  cause  than  to  make  a  similar  assertion.  You  ought  to 
know  that  the  visible  results  of  efforts  in  such  a  cause,  bear, 
at  first,  small  proportion  to  the  real  changes  wrought.  As  in 
the  missionary  field,  so  here,  the  preparatory  work  seems  la 
bor  wasted  to  the  unthinking.  True,  we  have  procured  leg- 


CONTINUES  TO  LECTURE.  85 

islative  enactments  and  judicial  decisions  favorable  to  free 
dom  in  several  States;  true,  we  have  excited  church  and 
ecclesiastical  action  all  over  the  north ;  true,  we  have  called 
into  being,  and  now  employ  an  array  of  means  to  spread  our 
views  and  enforce  them  on  men's  hearts,  in  every  part  of  the 
land;  true,  we  have  emancipated  many  hundreds  of  slaves 
by  our  efforts  ;  true,  we  have  ample  encouragement  from  in 
telligent  slaveholders  to  go  on  ;  true,  we  have  placed  our 
tried  friends  in  the  halls  of  legislation  to  plead  for  the  poor ; 
true,  we  have  awakened  discussion,  all  over  the  land,  never 
again  to  cease,  till  slavery  dies  ;  true,  we  have  led  hundreds 
of  thousands  to  think,  and  feel  and  pray  for  the  overthrow  of 
slavery,  as  they  ought ;  but  you  go  to  echo's  cave  still,  and 
cry  '  where !'  and  therefore  come  away  unacquainted  with 
the  state  and  progress  of  our  cause.  Still,  I  see  in  your 
pamphlet,  as  compared  with  some  former  effusions,  indica 
tions  of  our  influence  in  leading  you  on  in  knowledge  and 
duty ;  and  therefore  I  despair  not  of  the  hardest  cases ! 
Your  affectionate  friend, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 
Worcester,  Nov.  30,  1839. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CONTINUES    TO    LECTURE. REPORTER   AT  WASHINGTON. 

GOES    TO    ANNAPOLIS. IMPRISONED. LETTERS. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1839,  Mr.  Torrey  was 
engaged  in  lecturing  on  the  subject  of  slavery.  He  contin 
ued  in  this  employment  most  of  the  time,  occasionally  edit 
ing  a  paper,  till  the  commencement  of  the  year  1842.  We 
give  a  single  letter  of  this  period. 
8 


86  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 


"  Wiscasset,  Aug.  21,  1841. 

"  My  Dearest  Wife, — I  am  homesick,  with  long  waiting  in 
vain  to  hear  from  you,  and  moreover,  begin  to  suspect  that 
the  quickest  way  to  get  a  good  long  letter,  will  be  to  set  you 
a  good  example  !  Besides,  I  have  got  my  hand  in,  for  letter- 
writing  to-day,  this  being  my  sixth  letter.  I  have  had  a 
fortnight's  hard  labor,  and  rather  more,  since  I  left  our  dear, 
dear  home.  I  have  lectured  every  evening,  about  two  hours, 
each  night ;  besides  one  afternoon  lecture  of  2J  hours.  I 
have  given,  therefore,  eighteen  lectures  already.  I  have  been 
regularly  tired  out,  once  a  day,  and  rested  again  almost  every 
day,  not  quite.  But  I  feel  better  and  stronger  than  I  did 
last  week.  And  the  thought  that  I  am  toiling  for  my  belov 
ed  wife  and  children  will  help  me  to  go  on,  though  the  ser 
vice  be  a  hard  one.  I  feel  renewed  confidence  in  our  heav 
enly  Father,  that  he  will  provide  for  us,  even  though  I  can 
not  see  how  it  may  be  done,  farther  ahead  than  the  Spring. 
But  how  many,  holier  and  better  than  we  are,  have  not  had 
where  to  lay  their  heads,  or  means  of  living  even  for  one 
day  !  Tried  as  I  am  in  regard  to  it,  I  do  believe  He  will 
open  some  path  before  us,  by  which  we  may  be  fed  and  pro 
vided  for,  so  that  it  may  be  '  honest'  before  Him,  and  before 
our  fellow  men  also. 

"  I  go  hence  to  Waldoboro',  Thomaston,  Camden,  Belfast, 
(where  I  shall  be  the  31st — and  hope  to  find  a  letter  from 
my  dear  Mary — I  have  had  none  yet,)  and  then  up  to  Wa- 
terville,  and  other  towns,  on  the  river  from  Hallowell.  My 
next  move  from  this  place,  will  take  me  to  green  fields  again, 
I  hope,  and  then,  to  my  Mary.  Mary,  can  we  not  love  one 
another  with  the  freshness  and  purity,  and  tenderness  of  our 
first  affection  ?  I  was  thinking  of  it  much  the  other  night, 
as  I  spent  a  long  while,  after  midnight,  praying  for  you  and 
myself,  and  thinking  over  how  much  holier  and  happier  we 
might  be,  if  we  had  more  forbearing  tenderness  for  each 


LETTER  TO  HIS  WIFE.  87 

other.  Oh  !  Mary,  you  are  very  dear  to  me !  Oh  !  if  we  loved 
our  Saviour  better,  we  should  love  one  another  more  tender 
ly.  May  his  love  rest  upon  us,  and  be  in  us.  Tell  Charlie, 
Pa  loves  him,  and  prays  for  him,  every  day,  that  he  may  be 
a  good  boy,  and  love  God,  and  rnind  mother,  and  love  sister. 
Kiss  little  Mary  for  me,  and  don't  let  her  forget  papa  ;  and 
may  the  love  of  God  rest  upon  all  the  members  of  my  dear 
household.  Remember  me  to  all  our  friends ;  and  write  me 
at  Belfast,  by  next  Wednesday.  If  you  want  any  thing,  let 
me  know.  And  now,  beloved,  I  commend  you  to  God,  and 
the  word  of  His  grace. 

I  am  your  affectionate  husband, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

The  winter  of  this  year,  he  spent  at  Washington,  as  a 
correspondent  for  several  papers,  in  Boston,  New  York, 
and  other  places.  His  family  at  this  time  were  in  Boston. 
As  he  has  been  somewhat  censured  for  leaving  them  at  this 
time  with  scanty  means  of  support,  it  is  but  just  that  he 
should  be  permitted  to  speak  of  his  pecuniary  embarras- 
ments  as  they  pressed  upon  him.  That  it  was  exceedingly 
difficult  for  him  to  labor  with  others,  either  as  a  pastor,  a  lec 
turer,  or  an  editor,  we  do  not  deny.  He  was  not  a  regular 
planet,  nor  a  fixed  star  in  the  firmament  of  mankind.  Com 
et-like,  he  had  his  own  orbit.  It  was  difficult  for  him  to  earn 
money  ;  but,  that  he  felt  deeply  for  his  family,  not  only  his 
letters,  but  his  nights  of  toil,  and  long  days  of  labor  with 
scanty  fare,  testify.  More  than  once  he  could  have  signed 
his  long  and  vigorous  productions,  like  the  great  unfed  Ras- 
selas,  "  Charles  T.  Torrey  without  a  dinner"  During  all 
this  time,  let  it  be  remembered,  he  had  a  debt  of  five  hun 
dred  dollars  upon  him,  contracted  while  getting  his  education. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  following  letter,  that  Mr.  Torrey 
reached  Washington  in  December,  1841. 


88  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

"  Washington,  Dec.  13,  1841. 

"  My  Beloved  Mary, — I  think  of  you  so  much,  and  I  have 
so  many  things  to  say,  that  I  must  begin  a  long  letter,  even 
if  it  is  not  finished  this  morning.  You  will  see,  in  the  Evan 
gelist,  which  I  have  directed  to  be  sent  to  you,  my  account 
of  matters  and  things  during  the  session  of  last  week.  The 
people's  right  of  petition,  for  the  time  being,  is  again  destroy 
ed.  But  the  subject  of  abolition  cannot  be  kept  out  of  Con 
gress.  We  shall  get  it  in,  in  a  multitude  of  forms,  before  the 
session  closes.  I  have  so  many  things  to  say,  I  must  begin 
item  by  item.  1.  I  want  you  to  find  my  volume  of  '  cata 
logues,'  up  stairs,  and  send  me  a  list  of  all  the  names  of 
Southerners,  in  the  catalogue  of  1832,  in  the  College  classes, 
with  their  residence  ;  for  example,  write  them  thus  : 

6  John  P.  Bobbins,  Snow  Hill,  Md.' 

I  am  sorry  to  give  you  this  trouble,  but  I  forgot  the  book 
when  I  left  home. — By  the  way,  I  have  but  one  pocket 
handkerchief,  but  I  shall  get  one  or  two  more  soon.  2.  I  ex 
pect  to  write  to  cousin  Charles  J.  Peterson's  paper,  which 
will  add  a  few  dollars  more,  weekly,  to  my  income.  I  shall 
send  it  to  you.  The  first  number  will  probably  contain  a 
new  Tale,  I  have  written  since  I  came  here,  founded  on  the 
story  you  have  heard  me  tell.  So  in  temporal  matters,  God 
is  still  prospering  me.  I  have  hope  of  getting  still  more  to  do, 
yet.  As  it  is,  with  common  diligence  and  good  health,  our 
living  is  safe  till  next  August.  So  God  is  kind  to  the  evil 
and  unthankful.  Let  us  strive,  my  dear  love,  to  be  more 
grateful.  3.  My  daily  routine  is  about  this :  a  breakfast 
at  8  to  8i  ;  write  till  11  J,  or  mend  my  clothes,  or  do  any  little 
chores  of  that  sort ;  then  walk  up  the  street  to  the  Capitol. 
The  House  meet  at  12,  and  remain  in  session,  now,  about  an 
hour.  I  take  notes  of  their  doings,  talk  with  the  few  members 
and  others,  I  know,  for  a  while,  read  a  little,  go  to  the  Post- 


LETTERS  TO  HIS  WIFE.  89 

Office,  and  get  home  a  little  before  dinner,  which  is  3  o'clock. 
After  dinner,  I  write  again,  till  supper.  Several  evenings,  I 
have  been  out,  others  at  home,  writing.  I  get  to  bed  about 
12 — rather  late  hours,  but  that  is  the  custom  here.  One  even 
ing,  I  spent  very  pleasantly  with  Mr.  Slade,  of  Vermont;  he 
is  a  warrn-hearted  Christian  ;  I  was  very  much  pleased  with 
him.  I  have  not  delivered  any  other  of  my  letters  of  intro 
duction  yet.  I  have  renewed  my  acquaintance  with  Mr. 
Borden,  of  Fall  River,  with  whom  I  spent  one  very  pleasant 
evening,  and  with  Mr.  Saltonstall,  of  Salem ;  with  Mr.  Gid- 
dings,  of  Ohio,  and  brother  Leavitt,  I  spent  a  long  evening, 
Saturday  night.  Mr.  Giddings  is  a  plain,  frank,  open-hearted 
man  ;  I  feel  quite  attached  to  him.  Another  evening  I  went 
into  a  debating  society,  which  meets  weekly  ;  I  rather  think, 
I  shall  join  it ;  it  has  many  literary  men  of  high  standing 
among  its  members.  The  society  with  which  I  have  mingled, 
hitherto,  has  been,  on  the  whole,  quite  agreeable  ;  and  if  you 
and  the  dear  children  were  here,  I  should  not  desire  to  be 
happier.  4.  In  my  boarding  house,  there  are  some  little 
matters  worth  mentioning.  The  landlady,  Mrs.  Padgett,  is 
a  Methodist  woman  ;  she  appears  to  be  a  worthy  woman ; 
hires  slaves  as  help ;  I  believe  she  owns  none,  but  of  course, 
she  would  not  object  to  it.  Her  children,  except  one  daugh 
ter,  are  away ;  she,  is  lame,  engaged,  etc. 

"  5.  Yesterday  morning,  I  went  into  the  Baptist  church,  and 
heard  a  tolerable  sermon,  from  a  young  man.  In  the  after 
noon,  I  went  to  a  colored  church,  one  of  the  i  Wesleyan/  so 
called,  a  denomination  of  Methodists,  who  have  separated  en 
tirely  from  white  slaveholding  churches  ;  they  are  all  colored. 
There  was  no  sermon,  only  a  class-meeting ;  but  I  have  not 
enjoyed  the  i  communion  of  saints,'  so  much,  for  a  long  time, 
as  when  mingling  with  that  little  band  of  despised  colored 
people,  partly  slaves  ;  and,  when  one  of  the  poor  women, 
nearly  white,  spoke  of  the  '  persecution'  she  endured,  with 
sobs,  I  felt  my  heart  filled  with  new  energy  to  make  war  upon 
8* 


90  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

that  hateful  institution  that  so  crushes  the  disciples  of  the 
Lord  to  the  earth.  I  have  determined  to  commune  only 
with  the  colored  churches,  while  I  stay  here ;  I  will  strive  to 
be  pure  from  the  blood  of  the  poor.  I  have  had  much  more 
communion  with  God,  since  I  came  here,  than  for  months 
before  ;  pray  for  me.  By  the  way,  I  learn  that  the  good  old 
colored  minister,  from  Georgetown,  D.  C.,  who,  you  will  re 
collect,  came  to  our  house  in  Salem,  succeeded  in  getting 
money  enough  to  redeem  his  grandchild  and  its  mother.  I 
refer  to  Mr.  Cartwright.  I  am  going  to  see  him  soon,  and 
then  I  shall  write  out  his  whole  history  for  publication.  It 
will  be  of  thrilling  interest ;  I  have  often  made  the  stout 
hearted  weep  by  the  imperfect  recital  of  it. 

6.  I  met  quite  unexpectedly,  in  the  street,  yesterday,  a 
dear  old  friend  and  bed-fellow,  liufus  W.  Clark,  of  New- 
buryport.  He  is  now  a  minister,  and  will,  I  expect,  be 
chosen  one  of  the  chaplains  of  Congress.  It  was  a  treat  to 
meet  with  one  whom  I  have  long  known  and  loved,  as  a  dear 
friend  and  devoted  Christian.  It  is  he  who  writes  for  the 
Boston  Recorder.  7.  I  inclose  you  a  couple  of  nicknacs, — 
hold  them  between  the  light  and  the  wall,  in  the  evening,  and 
you  have  fine  heads  of  the  Saviour  and  the  Virgin  Mary.  I 
cut  them  out  after  a  pattern,  because  I  thought  they  might 
please  you.  Perhaps,  if  they  reach  you  in  season,  you  can 
cut  out  a  few,  by  this  pattern,  for  the  ladies'  Fair ;  they  ought 
to  be  on  stiff  pasteboard. 

Tuesday,  14th, — no  letter  yet  from  my  dear  wife  !  I  have 
been  to  the  Post-Office  with  more  and  more  hope,  for  several 
days  past,  but  found  no  letter,  till  I  have  become  a  little,  just 
the  least  bit  in  the  world,  homesick  !  I  do  want  to  see  you 
all  once  more.  But  it  must  be  some  months  first.  I  have 
been  hoping  to  receive  some  letters  about  corresponding  with 
more  papers  in  New  England,  so  that  I  could  enlarge  your 
means  of  comfort  and  enjoyment,  and  hope  I  shall  yet. 

I  wish,  when  you  write,  you  would  take  a  large  sheet,  like 


SLAVEHOLDERS'  CONVENTION.  91 

this,  and  fill  it  full.  If  you  send  me  that  list  of  names,  it  will 
take  one  sheet  by  itself,  almost,  so  don't  give  me  nothing 
but  that  for  a  feast.  Tell  dear  Charles,  Papa  thinks  of  him, 
every  day,  and  wants  to  have  him  love  mother,  and  mind  her, 
and  be  good  to  little  sister.  Kiss  little  Mary  for  Pa,  and  tell 
her,  Pa  says  she  must  be  a  good  child.  My  love  to  aunt 
Fanny,  Mr.  Collins'  family,  and  all  our  friends.  How  are 
you  getting  on  ?  Is  Phebe  well,  and  a  good  girl  ?  Have 
you  any  boarders  engaged  ?  Write  soon,  and  let  me  know 
all  about  yourself?  I  am,  dear  Mary, 
Your  affectionate  husband, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

Early  in  January,  Mr.  Torrey  went  to  Annapolis,  Mary 
land,  to  report  the  proceedings  of  a  slaveholders'  convention. 
What  befel  him  there,  you  have  in  his  own  words,  as  com 
municated  in  the  following  letter  to  the  New  York  Evan 
gelist. 

"  Washington,  Jan,  23,  1842. 

"  Messrs.  Editors, — I  propose  to  give  you,  first,  a  correct 
account  and  analysis  of  the  proceedings  of  the  slaveholders* 
convention  at  Annapolis  ;  and  then,  a  narrative  of  my  own  ad 
ventures  among  the  '  hospitable'  people  of  that  ancient  capital 
of  Maryland.  —  I  reached  Annapolis  on  the  morning  of  the 
12th  ult.  The  cars  were  filled  with  delegates,  busy  in  whis 
pered  discussions  of  what  was  to  be  done  to  defend  the  insti 
tution  '  loved  of  all  the  patriarchs,'  from  the  joint  assaults  of 
northern  freedom,  low  prices  of  tobacco,  and  consequently  of 
human  cattle,  and  from  the  evident  and  increasing  numerical 
preponderance  of  free  laborers,  white  and  colored,  over  the 
slaveholders.  A  large  part,  even  of  those  in  Maryland,  who 
hate  slavery,  led  away  by  the  false  political  economy  and  de 
lusive  philanthropy  of  their  unsuccessful  effort  to  colonize  the 
people  of  color,  have  no  very  clear  or  consistent  notions  of  any 
possible  scheme  of  converting  their  discontented,  profitless 


92  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

slaves,  into  industrious  free  laborers,  like  the  colored  men  of 
the  North.     Light,  however,  is  gradually  increasing. 

"  From  the  morning  I  reached  Annapolis,  I  noticed  looks 
of  suspicion  and  inquiry  cast  upon  me,  and  an  occasional 
whispered  remark,  or  a  finger  pointed  towards  my  seat.  But 
as  long  as  I  confined  myself  to  my  own  business,  and  re 
mained  unmolested,  I  did  not  deem  it  proper  to  seem  to  take 
any  notice  of  what  might  be  accidental,  or  grow  out  of  my 
being  a  stranger.  I  may  here  remark,  that  I  expected  to 
meet  some  old  friends  in  the  convention  ;  college-mates,  the 
name  of  one  of  whom  was  on  the  roll  of  the  convention ;  but 
he  was  not  present.  Nor  did  I  see  but  one  person,  a  class 
mate,  whom  I  knew  ;  but  I  had  no  chance  to  speak  to  him. 
And  before  I  left  Annapolis,  I  learned  that  the  whole  excite 
ment  against  me  grew  out  of  letters  from  Washington  city. 
Even  remarks  made  at  the  table,  in  my  boarding-house, 
were  sent  there,  to  create  a  fever  of  wrath.  There  was  no 
marked  exhibition  of  feeling,  save  a  few7  curses,  not  designed 
for  my  ear,  until  Thursday  evening.  The  president  of  the 
convention,  in  a  feeble  tone  which  I  did  not  distinctly  hear, 
requested  all  who  were  not  members  to  retire  to  the  lobbies, 
when  most  of  the  spectators  did  so.  The  reporters  and  mem 
bers  of  the  legislature,  however,  did  not.  While  I  was  hesi 
tating  whether  to  retire  or  not,  J.  M.  S.  Causin,  who  was  af 
terwards  employed  against  me,  moved  that  no  person  be  ad 
mitted  to  the  floor  of  the  house,  as  reporter,  unless  he  was 
vouched  for  by  some  member  of  the  convention.  While  this 
was  under  consideration,  the  door-keeper  was  sent  to  me  to 
ask  if  I  was  a  delegate,  and  request  me  to  retire  to  the  lob 
bies,  which  I  did.  I  stood  there  till  the  resolve  passed  and 
several  reporters,  known  to  the  members,  had  been  voted  a 
place  on  the  floor.  As  the  rule  adopted  was  just  like  the 
rule  in  the  House  of  Representatives  here,  and  precluded  no 
one  from  taking  notes  in  the  gallery,  I  concluded  to  go  there 
and  wait  until  after  the  adjournment,  and  then  introduce  my- 


SLAVEHOLDERS'  CONVENTION.  93 

self  to  some  member,  and  get  a  seat  on  the  floor,  at  the  next 
session.  I  did  so.  But  a  spy  had  been  set  to  watch  me  in 
the  gallery,  and  the  moment  he  saw  me  taking  notes  of  the 
report  of  the  committee,  he  made  signs  to  those  below,  and 
the  door-keeper  was  sent  up,  as  he  said,  to  order  me  to  leave 
the  house.  (Causin  says  he  sent  him  merely  to  request  me 
not  to  take  notes.)  When  I  went  down  with  him,  he  seized 
me  by  the  collar,  and  ordered  me  to  come  into  the  committee- 
room,  to  await  the  disposal  of  the  convention.  I  denied  his 
and  their  authority  to  detain  me,  and  when  he  found  it  would 
be  no  easy  matter  to  force  me  in,  he  urged  me  to  go  in  on  the 
ground  that  the  convention  would  probably  admit  me  to  the 
floor.  I  therefore  yielded,  and  went  in.  He  spoke  to  Cau 
sin,  who  brought  the  subject  before  the  body.  A  Babel-like 
confusion  of  opinions  was  uttered,  as  to  what  should  be  done. 
The  debate  was  loud  and  long,  lasting  until  after  I  was  thrust 
into  prison.  Some  of  the  gentlemen  of  the  convention  were 
for  admitting  me  at  once  to  the  floor.  But  the  mobocratic 
part  soon  filled  the  committee-room,  and  began  to  question 
and  revile  me.  A  few  of  the  citizens  of  Annapolis,  friends 
of  good  order,  who  feared  violence,  urged  me  to  leave  the 
committee-room  and  the  town  at  once  ;  and  almost  compelled 
me  to  leave,  by  their  friendly  urgency.  I  consented,  very  re 
luctantly  ;  and  went  quietly  to  the  tavern,  where  I  stopped 
and  took  some  books  I  had  borrowed,  to  return  them  to  their 
owner,  Mr.  Hughes,  the  editor  of  the  Annapolis  paper,  a 
worthy  man,  a  friend.  But  before  I  had  gone  ten  rods  in  the 
street,  the  mob  was  bawling  after  me,  and  I  was  seized  forci 
bly  by  the  arm,  and  forced  back  to  the  tavern,  and  compelled 
to  pay  my  tavern-bill.  They  went  with  me  to  my  bed-room, 
where  they  took  my  private  papers  from  me  and  read  them. 
I  had  nothing  save  my  notes,  and  copies  in  a  manifold  letter- 
writer,  of  a  few  old  letters  and  newspaper  articles,  some  on 
the  subject  of  slavery,  some  on  private  business,  and  family 
affairs.  These  were  looked  over,  and  seemingly  commented 


94  MEMOIR  OF  TORRES". 

upon.  They  were  now  at  a  loss  what  to  do.  Some  urged 
to  take  me  five  miles  out  of  the  town  and  let  me  go.  Others 
were  for  hanging,  tar  and  feathering,  etc. ;  but  too  many  re 
spectable  Annapolis  people  had  now  gathered  around  to  al 
low  this ;  and  I  believe  the  perfect  composure  I  was  able  to 
maintain,  calmed  them.  But  a  large  and  noisy  crowd  as 
sembled  below  and  outside  of  the  house,  full  of  violence.  At 
this  crisis,  a  warrant  was  made  out  by  a  kind  and  worthy 
but  timid  magistrate,  Mr.  Huster,  of  Annapolis,  to  commit  me 
to  jail ;  and  to  that  felon's  prison  I  was  carried,  a  crowd  of 
two  or  three  hundred  men  and  boys  preceding  and  following 
me  with  screams,  and  yells,  and  curses,  that  gave  one  a  lively 
idea  of  Pandemonium  broke  loose.  The  jail  is  old  and  ruin 
ous.  A  jack-knife  would  free  any  prisoner  in  two  hours. 
My  cell  was  cold,  and  for  two  days  very  damp.  The  windows 
were  too  crazy  to  exclude  the  wind ;  and  for  two  nights  and 
one  day,  I  was  very  uncomfortable.  The  mild  weather,  at 
other  times,  made  it  less  so. 

"  The  State  of  Maryland,  in  its  '  chivalrous'  humanity, 
provides  neither  bed  nor  bedding,  nor  even  straw  for  a  priso 
ner,  whether  condemned  or  awaiting  trial,  or  arrested  on  sus 
picion,  as  I  was.  But  by  paying  for  it,  and  by  the  kindness 
of  the  jailor,  I  procured  a  good  bed  and  good  food.  The  al 
lowance  of  the  State  is  a  fire,  and  money  enough  to  furnish 
'  hot  cakes  and  hominy.'  There  was  one  person  in  prison 
charged  with  crime,  and  thirteen  of  God's  children,  detained 
under  these  circumstances :  they  consisted  of  two  men,  their 
wives  and  children  (including  two  infants),  manumitted  by 
their  owner,  J.  D.  Hutton,  in  his  lifetime.  After  his  death, 
b  eing  insolvent,  his  creditors  seized  them  as  a  part  of  the 
estate.  On  proof  he  was  not  insolvent  when  he  freed  them, 
they  twice  gained  their  suit,  and  received  free  papers,  first  in 
the  County  Court  and  next  in  the  Court  of  Appeals.  But  the 
Chancellor  reversed  the  decree,  and  adjudged  them  to  be 
slaves.  Efforts  are  still  in  progress  to  obtain  a  new  trial  for 


SLAVEHOLDERS'  CONVENTION.  95 

them.  It  is  thought  that  it  will  terminate  in  their  sale  to  the 
traders.  They  appear  to  be  a  very  inoffensive  family.  Their 
aged  mother,  who  had  bought  her  own  freedom,  manifested 
deep  feeling  as  she  spoke  of  their  unjust  doom.  I  feel  with 
more  force  than  ever,  the  injunction  to  '  remember  them  that 
are  in  bonds  as  bound  with  them ;'  and  after  listening  to  the 
history  of  their  career,  I  sat  down  and  wrote,  and  signed,  and 
prayed  over  a  solemn  re-consecration  of  myself  to  the  work  of 
freeing  the  slaves,  until  no  slaves  shall  be  found  in  our  land. 
May  God  help  me  to  be  faithful  to  that  pledge  made  in  An 
napolis  jail.  In  that  cell,  God  helping  me,  if  it  stands,  I 
will  celebrate  the  emancipation  of  the  slaves  of  Maryland, 
before  ten  years  more  roll  away. 

"  Monday  morning,  at  11  o'clock,  I  was  called  before  Judge 
Brewer,  for  examination.  Thomas  S.  Alexander,  of  An 
napolis,  the  first  lawyer  of  the  State,  and  Jos.  M.  Palmer,  of 
Frederick,  an  excellent  counsellor,  a  northern  man  by  birth, 
became  my  counsel ;  and  their  kindness,  zeal,  and  gratuitous 
services  (for  they  declined  all  compensation),  I  am  happy  to 
acknowledge  in  this  public  manner.  I  shall  ever  remember 
them  with  gratitude.  As  my  best  wish  to  them  in  this  life,  I 
express  my  ardent  hope  that  they  will  soon  cease  to  sustain 
the  unholy  character  of  slaveholders — a  character,  I  believe, 
as  onerous  to  their  consciences,  as  it  is  unworthy  of  men 
whose  natures  are  so  truly  noble  and  generous.  The  prose 
cution  was  commenced  by  Causin,  before  spoken  of,  and  the 
Thomas  F.  Bowie,  whose  brief  speech  is  given  above.  The 
former  entered  on  the  work  with  all  his  heart.  Bowie  had 
evidently  little  zeal,  after  he  saw  how  the  matter  stood,  and 
did  not  appear  after  the  first  day.  He  is  a  kind-hearted 
young  man,  of  a  generous  temper,  though,  of  course,  sharing 
in  the  prejudices  of  his  slaveholding  friends  on  the  subject  of 
abolition.  Causin  showed  himself  an  acute  casuist.  Several 
witnesses  were  examined,  but  no  definite  charge  could  be 
made  out  of  their  testimony.  It  was  not  questioned  that  I 


96  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE  Y. 

was  an  abolitionist,  and  had  been  an  agent  to  such  societies. 
It  was  not  denied  that  I  came  there  to  report  the  doings  of 
the  body  for  abolition,  as  well  as  other  papers.  It  was  shown 
that  I  had  made  notes  of  remarks  made  by  several  persons, 
which  I  put  in  my  pocket ;  and  which,  as  they  were  made 
public  there,  I  feel  no  hesitation  in  quoting. 

"  A  delegate  said  to  a  friend,  that  it  was  *  now  or  never' 
with  them.  If  they  could  not  put  down  the  colored  freemen 
and  those  who  sympathized  with  them,  they  would  be  put 
down  themselves.  '  In  fact,  we  are  down  now,'  was  the  re 
ply.  The  latter  then  began  to  talk  of  an  abolitionist  from 
Baltimore,  who  was  in  town,  and  to  curse  Mr.  Alexander 
(Wilson,  1  understood  them  at  the  time),  of  Annapolis,  for  an 
abolitionist,  because  he  humanely  defended  free  colored  peo 
ple,  when  unjustly  assailed.  It  was  his  curses  that  led  me 
to  send  for  Mr.  Alexander  to  defend  me.  If  such  an  one  ac 
cused  him  for  such  deeds,  it  was  natural  to  infer  that  he  was 
a  good  and  upright  man.  I  noticed  also  a  remark  of  Mr. 
Hughes,  that  the  mass  of  the  people  would  not  acquiesce  in 
violent  measures  for  the  removal  of  free  colored  people.  And 
that  if  the  slaveholders  resorted  to  them,  it  would  serve  to 
identify  the  mass  of  the  people  who  opposed  such  measures 
(in  the  eyes  of  the  slaveholders)  with  the  Northern  aboli 
tionists,  however  they  might  differ  from  the  latter  in  their 
views  and  measures.  He  thought,  too,  that  Colonization  had 
not  been  sufficiently  tried ;  and  he  was  in  favor  of  depriving 
the  people  of  color  of  the  right  to  hold  real  estate,  though  he 
was  averse  to  Judge  Chambers'  idea  of  compelling  them  to 
become  agricultural  laborers.  When  Mr.  Hughes  questioned 
me,  as  I  thought  rather  impertinently,  as  to  my  residence,  etc., 
I  evaded  his  questions,  designedly,  and  he  inferred,  though 
with  little  justice,  that  I  meant  to  give  him  the  impression 
that  I  was  a  delegate  from  Washington.  Another  person  tes 
tified,  that  I  told  him  of  a  remark  made  me  by  a  colored  man 
in  Baltimore,  to  the  effect  that  free  colored  men  preferred 


SLAVEHOLDERS'  CONVENTION.  97 

death  to  removal  from  the  State  (to  Africa,  I  said).  Here 
was  all  the  proof  of  my  crime,  if  any  crime  there  was,  in  hear 
ing  and  making  notes  of  remarks,  such  as  were  made  publicly 
in  the  convention,  and  such  as  expressed  the  feelings  of  the 
colored  people  everywhere,  as  every  man  well  knows.  But 
Causin  practised  every  artifice  to  create  excitement,  read  ex 
tracts  from  abolition  papers,  perverted  my  brief  penciled  notes, 
which  I  understood,  but  which  no  one  else  could,  and  ap 
pealed  to  the  crowd  around,  as  well  as  to  the  Judge,  against 
me,  as  one  guilty  of  '  writing,'  if  not  circulating,  l  incendiary' 
matter.  The  crowd  was  dense,  the  members  of  the  Legisla 
ture  and  of  the  convention  coming  in,  so  as  to  leave  no  quo 
rum  in  either  body,  and  the  rabble  following  them  and  shout 
ing  applause  at  the  demagogue  appeals  to  the  passions.  My 
counsel  replied  briefly,  and  I  did  likewise,  to  the  statements 
and  arguments  of  the  prosecution  ;  and  the  Judge  promptly 
decided  that  there  was  nothing,  so  far,  to  warrant  my  deten 
tion.  He  chose,  however,  to  remand  me  till  Monday,  to  give 
time  to  inquire  into  the  occasion  of  the  remark  I  heard  from 
the  negro  at  Baltimore.  The  Judge  now  made  out  a  new 
commitment,  in  legal  form. 

"  Sabbath  evening,  David  A.  Simmons,  of  Boston,  came 
from  Washington,  at  the  request  of  some  of  our  Massachu 
setts  delegation  in  Congress,  among  whom  I  would  gratefully 
mention  Mr.  Borden ;  and  by  his  promptness,  address,  and 
the  representations  he  was  authorized  to  make  concerning  me, 
manifestly  changed  the  current  of  feeling  among  the  men  of 
influence,  in  regard  to  me.  I  have  great  reason  to  be  grate 
ful  for  his  kindness,  as  also  for  the  sympathy  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Winslow  (formerly  of  Medford,  Mass.),  now  the  episcopal 
clergyman  of  Annapolis,  and  others,  here  and  there.  I 
passed  a  quiet  Sabbath  in  the  prison,  finding  communion 
with  God  unusually  sweet. 

"Monday  afternoon  the  case  was  argued  at  length,  by  my 
counsel,  in  the  most  able  and  satisfactory  manner,  and  by 
9 


98  MEMOIR  OF  TOBRET. 

Causin  with  great  ability.  The  next  morning,  an  old  lady, 
who  had  warned  off  some  men  last  summer,  who  had  preached 
to  her  negroes,  and  another  person,  were  sent  for,  but  testi 
fied  they  had  never  seen  me.  The  dispersion  of  the  conven 
tion,  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Simmons,  and  the  arguments  of  my 
counsel,  had  allayed  the  excitement,  and  some  of  the  more 
reflecting  slaveholders  began  to  believe  they  had  made  a 
great  blunder,  in  allowing  such  an  invasion  of  my  rights  as  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States.  Indeed  a  leading  man  declared 
that  it  would  destroy  all  the  effect  of  the  convention  ;  not 
more  by  the  use  I  might  make  of  it,  than  by  the  fact  that 
it  opened  every  body's  mouth  to  speak  of  their  doings,  and  of 
the  slavery  they  were  endeavoring  to  protect.  The  strangely 
expressed  opinions  of  leading  men  against  their  doings  on 
Monday  and  Tuesday,  tended  not  a  little  to  confirm  this  im 
pression.  I  can  only  say,  that  if  my  imprisonment  has  such 
an  effect,  I  shall  devoutly  thank  God  for  it.  That  it  has  al 
ready  unsealed  the  lips  of  thousands,  and  waked  up  a  new 
spirit  in  the  public  press,  the  splendid  article  in  the  Daily 
Ledger  of  Philadelphia  is  a  pregnant  proof.  So  may  all  the 
devices  of  slaveholders  be  turned  to  their  own  confusion  I 
The  Judge  took  from  Tuesday  morning  to  Wednesday, 
3  P.  M.,  to  consider  as  plain  a  case  as  was  ever  decided, 
and  then  made  a  decision  which  I  venture  to  say,  on  the  au 
thority  of  eminent  lawyers,  stands  without  a  precedent.  He 
found  no  cause  to  detain  me,  not  one  of  all  the  allegations  and 
suspicions  having  even  a  plausible,  or  any  proof  whatever,  to 
sustain  them.  He  ordered  me  to  give  bail,  in  $500,  '  to  keep 
the  peace'  till  April !  My  counsel,  while  they  advised  that 
no  law  justified  such  a  decision,  urged  a  present  submission 
to  it,  and  very  nobly  became  my  securities.  I  am  taking  ad 
vice  as  to  the  best  mode  of  bringing  the  case  up  again,  to  dis 
charge  the  bail.  For,  aside  from  the  loss  to  myself,  about 
$75,  and  the  false  imprisonment,  and  the  imputation  upon  me 
as  one  <  bound  over  to  keep  the  peace,'  when  I  have  never,  in 


SLAVEHOLDERS'  CONVENTION.  99 

word,  deed  or  thought  violated  it,  I  think  that  the  violation  of 
the  constitutional  right  of  a  free  citizen  of  the  United  States, 
is  not  a  matter  to  be  passed  over  lightly.  I  returned  to  this 
city  the  same  afternoon,  and  have  resumed  my  usual  avoca 
tion.  Of  one  thing  I  am  certain,  God  helping  me,  slavery 
shall  be  no  gainer  by  this  attempt  to  strike  down  constitu 
tional  liberty,  in  my  person.  Be  it,  that  in  the  estimation  of 
some  timid  persons,  I  was  '  imprudent,'  to  exercise  my  un 
questionable  right  to  attend  a  public  meeting,  open  to  all,  and 
note  its  proceedings.  That  does  not  affect  the  merits  of  the 
case,  nor  alter  one  principle  involved  in  it.  The  question 
whether  freedom  and  right  shall  be  sacrificed  to  maintain  sla 
very,  still  remains  to  be  considered  and  decided  by  all  who 
love  their  country,  or  regard  the  purer  impulses  of  humanity 
and  religion.  When  Garrison  was  thrust  into  Baltimore  jail, 
guiltless  of  crime,  the  death  of  the  system  was  decreed.  And 
now  God  has  written  upon  the  walls  of  Annapolis  jail  also, 
*  Slavery  must  die/ 

Yours,  with  respect, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

"  Annapolis  (Md.)  JAIL,  Jan.  14, 1842. 
"  My  beloved  wife, — You  will  allow  me,  I  know,  to  call 
you  so  still,  though  I  address  you  from  the  usual  abode  of 
criminals,  inasmuch  as  I  am  here  for  no  offence  against  the 
laws  of  God  or  man.  I  write  to  relieve  your  anxieties,  lest 
you  should  hear  that  I  was  in  prison,  and  be  alarmed  too  much, 
at  an  event  so  strange.  I  came  down  here  on  Wednesday 
morning,  to  attend  the  slaveholders'  convention  ;  and  took  my 
notes,  as  a  reporter.  Some  evil  minded  person  had  spread 
the  report  that  I  was  an  abolition  agent,  and  excited  suspicion 
against  me  ;  and  I  was  arrested  on  suspicion  by  the  MOB, 
and  finally  committed,  last  night,  to  prison  for  examination, 
by  the  justice.  To-day  I  was  examined  by  Judge  Brewer; 
and  because  they  could  find  no  evil  thing,  definitely,  against 


100  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

me,  am  detained  till  Monday,  for  further  examination  ;  when, 
I  trust  in  God,  I  shall  be  freed  from  this  vile  and  cold  place. 
Do  not  be  grieved  or  alarmed.  God  is  with  me,  and  sup 
ports  me.  And  I  have  the  ablest  counsel  the  land  will  fur 
nish.  And  though  the  excitement  is  very  high  against  me, 
I  have  little  doubt  of  a  speedy  deliverance.  *  Meantime,  pray 
for  me,  that  I  may  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power 
of  his  might.  I  will  write  you  again  on  Monday,  and  let  you 
know  the  result.  Do  not  write  to  me  here,  but  to  Washing 
ton,  under  cover  to  Mr.  Giddings. 

Your  affectionate  husband, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

"  Washington,  D.  C.,  Jan.  19,  1842. 

"  My  dearest  wife, — The  date  of  this  will  assure  you  that 
I  am  again  at  liberty,  and  unscathed  by  these  human  hyenas, 
commonly  called  slaveholders.  Thank  God,  that  he  suffered 
them  to  rage  in  vain,  and  finally  delivered  me  from  their 
power.  I  cannot,  to-day,  \vrite  you  a  minute,  detailed  ac 
count  of  the  matter ;  that  you  will  see  in  the  next  Evangelist. 
Suffice  it  to  say,  that  after  an  illegal  and  unjust  detention  for 
a  week,  I  was  set  free,  there  being  found  no  reason  for  de 
taining  me,  even  in  the  judgment  of  an  unjust  Judge.  I  was 
treated  with  the  greatest  personal  kindness  by  the  jailor,  and 
by  my  counsel,  Thomas  S.  Alexander,  of  Annapolis,  the  first 
lawyer  in  the  State,  and  Joseph  M.  Palmer,  of  Frederick,  a 
distinguished  lawyer,  and  member  of  the  legislature.  They 
were  untiring  in  effort,  and  utterly  refused  to  receive  any 
compensation  for  their  services.  The  members  of  Congress 
from  our  State,  took  a  deep  interest  in  it,  and  sent  down  a 
first  rate  lawyer,  Mr.  Simmons  of  Roxbury,  to  aid  my  coun 
sel.  The  old  Bastile  of  slavery  was  shaken  more  effectually 
by  the  arrest  and  its  consequences,  than  it  could  have  been 
in  any  other  way,  in  five  years.  Thank  God  for  it.  The 
pecuniary  loss  to  me,  however,  is  great — hard  to  be  borne,  in 


LETTERS  TO  HTS  :WIEE,  101 

my  present  position  ;  but  God  y»ill  provide.  .  I.gQt.your  Jong 
and  welcome  letter  this  forenoon,  and  I.  ^fl'^jt^^caj'-ai'^' 
long  letter  in  a  day  or  two.  I  hope  you  have  received  the 
money  I  ordered  sent  you,  from  various  sources.  Write  as 
soon  as  you  get  my  next  letter ;  and  believe  me,  as  ever, 
your  faithful  friend  and  affectionate  husband, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

«  Washington,  D.  C.,  Feb.  2,  1842. 

"  My  beloved  Mary, — Your  welcome  letter  of  Jan.  28,  I 
received  this  morning,  and  I  begin  a  reply,  which  I  cannot 
send  for  a  day  or  two.  I  am  grieved  and  surprised  that  you 
received  no  more  money.  By  the  12th,  I  hope  you  will  re 
ceive  something  near  seventy-five  dollars  ;  perhaps  not  quite 
so  much.  But  I  will  send  every  cent  I  can  ;  and  as  soon  as 
possible  I  will  send  you  more.  1  am  trying  to  enlarge  my 
income  still  more,  and  hope  I  may  succeed.  As  to  giving 
up  our  house,  I  am  not  prepared  to  assent  to  any  change,  till 
my  future  arrangements  can  be  definitely  settled.  I  had 
thoughts  of  removing  to  Medway,  or  some  other  abolition 
town,  in  the  fall.  I  am  very  glad  you  are  not  encumbered 
with  a  house  full  of  boarders.  My  conscience  has  troubled 
me  much  about  imposing  such  a  load  upon  my  dear  wife,  and 
I  am  glad  you  are  free  from  it.  Now  let  me  suggest  a  thing 
or  two.  Teach  Charley  and  little  Mary.  Begin  and  read 
some  hours,  daily ;  and  write  another  book,  either  didactic, 
or  finish  the  one  so  long  ago  begun,  or  a  new  one.  I  will  try 
hard  to  find  the  bread  and  butter  for  you  and  the  dear  little 
ones,  and  for  Phebe ;  for  I  can't  think  of  having  you  left 
entirely  alone.  Besides,  Emmons  will  return  in  a  month,  as 
he  writes  me,  and  will  want  a  home ;  and  I  think  he  wi.l  get 
one  or  two  fellow-boarders,  if  you  want  them.  So,  if  my 
beloved  Mary  can  be  happy  there,  and  keep  a  little  home 
ready  for  her  wandering  husband,  when  the  weary  months 
have  passed  away,  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  you  be  where  you 
9* 


102  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 

are,  for  the  present.  '  Before  we  remove,  if  we  do,  in  the  fall, 
r.i'u-l),  «:•«')]  p&fKgid&tfee  must  take  place,  and  many  arrange 
ments,  to  which  I  cannot  attend  for  two  or  three  months  to 
come.  So  be  patient,  my  love.  God  will  be  with  us  and 
prosper  us,  if  we  look  to  him.  The  editors  of  the  New  York 
Evangelist  very  handsomely  continued  to  pay  me,  while  I  was 
absent,  for  the  letters  T  did  not  write,  as  well  as  for  those  I 
did.  So  I  meet  with  generous  kindness,  from  more  than  one 
source. 

"You  ask  how  I  felt,  in  regard  to  my  imprisonment.  I  an 
swer,  that  while  I  was  in  the  hands  of  the  mob,  raging  and 
threatening  around  me,  as  you  will  see  described  in  the  Evan 
gelist  or  Emancipator,  this  week,  I  was  perfectly  cool,  col 
lected,  fearless  of  evil,  as  I  ever  was  in  my  life.  Not  that 
there  was  no  real  danger,  or  that  I  was  unconscious  of  it ; 
for  no  one  could  be  so,  with  several  hundreds  raging  and 
menacing  around  him,  and  but  few  of  the  friends  of  good 
order  near  to  restrain  their  violence.  But  the  Lord  restrained 
them,  and  was  with  me  to  keep  me  from  all  essential  harm. 
That  I  was  deeply  affected  when  I  found  myself  so  un 
righteously  thrust  into  a  felon's  cell,  is  true.  But  I  was  ena 
bled  to  look  up  to  the  Lord,  and  trust  in  him ;  and  most  of 
the  time,  I  enjoyed  great  peace  and  composure  of  mind.  My 
cell  was  a  perfect  abolition  lecture-room  ;  for  every  one 
who  came  in,  wished  to  talk  about  it ;  and  I  believe  what  I 
said  made  a  good  impression  on  many  minds.  I  know  it  did 
on  several.  I  had  a  Bible  and  a  few  odd  volumes  of  every 
nort,  hardly  one  of  them  whole,  belonging  to  the  prison,  which 
helped  to  pass  away  that  part  of  the  time  1  spent  in  solitude. 
I  did  not  dare  to  write  much,  not  knowing  how  long  I  might 
be  detained  there.  I  think  my  first  letter  to  you  must  have 
been  detained  in  the  post-office  at  Annapolis  a  week,  as  one 
or  two  other  letters  apparently  were  ;  though  none  were  lost, 
that  I  know  of. 

"  Since  I  returned  here,  I  have  been  treated  with  unusual 


LETTERS  TO  HIS  WIFE.  103 

respect  and  kindness.  A  few  slaveholders  swear  about  me  a 
little,  to  exercise  their  venomous  tongues ;  but  that  does  no  harm 
to  anything  but  their  own  souls.  They  are  civil  to  me,  per 
sonally,  though  some  of  them  look  rather  hard  at  me.  Cost 
Johnson,  of  Maryland,  scowls  at  me,  every  time  he  passes  me. 
On  the  whole,  it  will  give  me  character  and  influence  wherev 
er  our  language  goes  ;  so  that  I  shall  have  no  great  reason  to 
regret  it,  on  my  own  account ;  and  I  will  try  to  have  my 
dear  Mary  love  me  as  well,  and  my  little  ones  too,  as  if  I  had 
not  been  in  jail ! 

Your  affectionate  husband, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

"Washington,  D.  C.,  Feb.  26,  1842. 

"  My  beloved  Mary, — Your  letter,  so  welcome  and  so  sad 
too,  came  to-night ;  and  I  was  lover  enough  to  kiss  it  a  few 
times !  though  my  heart  ached  at  the  description  of  your 
trials,  both  personal  and  pecuniary.  My  letter  of  last  night 
will  inform  you  of  my  having  sent  orders  which  will  relieve 
you  on  the  latter  score,  as  I  hope,  in  all  next  week.  I,  too, 
have  had  some  trials  of  that  sort.  My  income,  at  present,  is 
adequate  to  our  wants,  and  to  pay  our  bills,  IF  it  was  punc 
tually  paid,  according  to  promise.  I  hope  it  will  all  come 
next  week,  and  enable  me  to  set  all  straight  with  our  credi 
tors.  For  the  last  month  I  have  been  paying  seven  dollars 
a  week ;  but  to-day  I  have  cut  it  down  to  five,  by  dispensing 
with  a  fire,  though  I  expect  some  cold  days  and  nights  to 
write  in,  yet.  But  it  will  be  the  more  saved  for  my 
dear  little  family.  With  all  your  trials  from  illness,  I 
need  not  tell  you  how  deeply  I  sympathize  with  you.  May 
God  our  Father  bless  you  and  our  dear  little  ones  with  health 
and  strength.  May  you  be  enabled  to  go  on,  and  sustain  the 
trial  laid  on  you.  I  shall  not  feel  easy  till  I  hear  again  how 
you  and  the  dear  children,  and  Phebe  are  getting  on.  You 
don't  know  how  I  long  to  be  with  you  and  help  you  in  your 


104  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

troubles.  I  am  well  pleased  with  the  arrangement  in  regard 
to  Mr.  Osgood ;  I  hope  he  will  continue  to  be  a  pleasant 
boarder.  But  do  not  overtask  your  strength.  Emmons,  I  sup 
pose,  will  be  back  in  about  a  fortnight,  and  will  be  able  to  aid 
you  much.  As  to  pens,  go  to  Light's,  or  to  King's,  and  get 
some,  and  pay  when  the  money  comes.  If  there  is  no  fail 
ure,  you  will  soon  receive  enough  to  pay  the  rest  of  the  rent, 
and  for  the  coal  and  wood,  and  any  little  matters,  with  about 
half  each  of  Bond's  and  Reed's  bills.  Your  position  is 
dark,  indeed,  and  it  wounds  me  to  the  heart.  But  look  up 
ward,  and  in  the  words  of  a  colored  minister  I  heard  preach 
some  time  ago,  '  don't  think  it  strange  that  the  Lord  fulfils 
his  glorious  promise.'  My  dear  wife,  there  are  many  ques 
tions,  in  ray  various  letters  about  home  affairs,  that  I  have 
waited  to  hear  about,  in  just  such  letters  as  your  last,  full  of 
all  manner  of  little  details,  that  would  show  me  the  '  every 
day  life'  in  my  dear  family  circle.  But  let  it  pass.  Write  me 
soon,  and  believe  me,  as  ever,  your  most  affectionate  hus 
band,  CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

BECOMES  EDITOR  OF  A  PAPER  IN  ALBANY. GOES  TO  VIR 
GINIA  TO  ASSIST  A  MAN  TO  GET  HIS  WIFE  AND  CHIL 
DREN. CARRIAGE  SEIZED. STORY  OF  THE  WEBB 

FAMILY. 

In  the  autumn  of  1842,  Mr.  Torrey  went  to  Albany,  and 
became  the  editor  of  the  Tocsin  of  Liberty,  afterward  changed 
to  the  Albany  Patriot.  He  was  engaged  at  first  on  a  salary, 
but  afterwards  became  the  proprietor  of  the  paper,  which  in 
volved  him  in  great  perplexity  and  embarrassment.  Night 
and  day,  he  labored  to  fill  up  the  increasing  hiatus  between 
his  expenses  and  his  income.  In  about  one  year,  his  mat- 


BECOMES   EDITOR.  105 

ters  were  so  involved  that  he  found  it  necessary  to  abandon 
the  enterprise,  and  seek  a  living  in  some  other  mode.  Mr. 
Torrey's  family  were  at  Albany,  most  of  this  time,  and  a 
part  of  the  year  were  in  want  of  many  things  deemed  the 
ordinary  necessaries  of  life.  When  he  closed  his  labors  in 
Albany,  he  must  have  felt  well  nigh  discouraged. 

His  family  returned  to  the  house  of  her  father,  at  Medvvay. 
Mr.  Torrey  has  been  blamed  for  not  making  proper  provi 
sion  for  his  family  while  at  Albany.  But  if  those  who  cen 
sure  him,  had  watched  his  hours  of  unremitting  labor,  and 
his  prolonged  fasts,  that  they  might  be  fed  even  with  scanty 
fare,  they  would  abate  somewhat  of  their  censure. 

Meanwhile,  a  slave,  who  had  escaped  to  Canada,  came  to 
Albany,  and  entreated  Mr.  Torrey  to  go  to  Virginia,  and 
bring  out  from  the  house  of  bondage,  his  wife  and  his  little 
ones.  To  this  urgent  call  he  could  not  turn  a  deaf  ear.  In. 
company  with  the  husband  and  father,  he  started.  When 
on  the  borders  of  Pennsylvania,  they  procured  a  span 
of  horses  and  a  carr'age,  and  drove  near  to  the  residence 
of  the  family  of  the  slave.  The  carriage  was  left  under  the 
shed  of  a  colored  man  in  the  Distr  ct  of  Columbia.  The 
family  were  to  meet  Mr.  Torrey  and  the  father  at  this  point. 
They  came  and  took  their  seats  in  the  carriage.  Mr.  T.  and 
the  slave  with  him  were  absent  a  short  distance.  Before 
they  reached  the  place  of  meeting,  they  learned  that  the 
family,  and  horses  and  carriage,  had  all  been  seized  by  the 
police.  Mr.  Torrey  and  his  associate  escaped,  but  poor 
Bush,  under  whose  roof  the  horses  were  found,  was  arrest 
ed,  and  is  now  in  prison.*  Mr.  T.  was  obliged  to  send  to  his 
friends  and  get  money  to  pay  for  the  horses  and  carriage. 

He  went  to  Delaware  and  labored  a  short  time  for  the 
slave.  On  his  return  through  Philadelphia,  he  met  with 
Emily  Webb,  whose  story  will  best  be  told  in  her  own 


Recently  acquitted  by  the  Court- 


106     .  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

words.  Her  deposition,  and  that  of  her  husband,  were  taken 
at  the  request  of  Mr.  Torrey,  to  be  used  on  his  trial  in  Vir 
ginia,  at  the  suit  of  Bushrod  Taylor. 


NARRATIVE  OF  EMILY  WEBB. 

"  I  now  reside  in  the  town  of  Hamilton,  in  the  Province 
of  Upper  Canada,  with  my  husband  and  five  youngest  chil 
dren.  I  was  born  in  Berkley  county,  in  the  State  of  Vir 
ginia,  at  a  place  called  the  Falling- Waters,  seven  miles,  or 
thereabout,  from  Martinsburgh.  I  have  no  record  in  my  pos 
session  fro" m  which  to  determine  certainly  my  age,  but  I  be 
lieve  I  am  about  forty-five  or  forty-six  years  old.  I  was  born 
a  slave,  and  was  the  daughter  of  my  master,  Edward  Clare, 
a  white  man ;  and  after  his  death,  I  was  owned  by  his  son 
and  my  half-brother,  James  Clare,  late  of  Frederick  County, 
Virginia,  also  a  white  man,  who  died  about  twenty  years  ago. 
After  my  birth,  my  mother  married  an  Irishman  named  John 
Carr,  and  they  gave  me  his  name  and  called  me  Emily  Carr. 
About  the  year  1815  or  1816,  I  was  married  to  John  Webb, 
a  slave  owned  by  Beverly  Whiting,  Bullskin,  Jefferson  Co., 
Virginia.  He  is  my  present  husband,  and  I  never  had  any 
other.  We  were  '  read'  together,  as  it  is  called,  by  a  colored 
parson  whose  name  was  Josiah  Lovett.  I  lived  at  the  time 
of  my  marriage  on  my  master's  plantation  on  Longmarsh,  in 
what  is  now  Clark  county,  Virginia,  about  seven  miles  from 
where  my  husband  was  owned.  My  father  died  when  I  was 
an  infant.  Josiah  Lovett,  who  married  me,  is  dead,  and  I  do 
not  recollect  the  name  of  any  one  living  that  was  present  at 
my  marriage.  There  was  no  white  man  present.  My  chil 
dren  were  all  born  in  Virginia.  I  have  been  the  mother  of 
thirteen  children,  and  all  by  my  present  husband.  The  first 
six  of  my  children  were  born  on  Longmarsh,  where  I  lived 
at  the  time  I  was  married.  My  next  five  were  born  at  Ber- 


NARRATIVE  OF  EMILY  WEBB.  107 

ryville,  Clark  county ;  and  ray  two  youngest  were  born  in 
Winchester  since  I  purchased  my  freedom.  The  following 
are  the  names  and  ages  of  my  children  :  William,  my  old 
est  child,  died  in  his  fifth  year,  and  would  now,  had  he  lived, 
been  twenty-eight  years  old.  Samuel,  my  second  child,  is 
now  in  his  twenty-seventh  year,  and  lives  in  Hamilton,  Upper 
Canada.  Philip,  my  third  child,  is  now  in  his  twenty-fifth 
year ;  he  lives  at  Drummondsville,  and  is  now  employed  as 
cook  on  board  the  steamer  Emerald,  plying  between  Buffalo 
and  Chippewa.  Clarissa,  my  fourth  child,  died  in  the  third 
year  of  her  age.  James,  my  fifth  child,  died  when  eleven 
days  old.  John,  my  sixth  child,  is  about  twenty-two  years 
old,  and  was  sold  about  five  years  ago  as  a  slave  into  Georgia. 
In  1842,  I  received  a  letter  from  him.  He  was  then  owned 
by  a  Railroad  Company  in  that  State.  I  have'  not  heard 
from  him  since.  William,  my  seventh  child,  is  now  about 
nineteen  years  old.  He  was  sold  as  a  slave  at  the  same 
time  with  his  brother  John,  and  sent  to  N.  Orleans,  where  he  is 
owned  by  a  Mrs.  Jane  Bennett.  I  heard  from  him  about  two 
months  ago.  John  and  William  were  purchased  and  sent 

south  by  Newbern   Bowly  and   Crow,  slave-traders. 

George,  my  eighth  child,  is  in  his  sixteenth  year,  and  lives 
with  me  at  Hamilton.  Martha,  my  ninth  child,  is  now  in  her 
fourteenth  year,  and  is  also  living  with  me.  Sarah,  my  tenth 
child,  died  when  nine  months  old.  Mary,  my  eleventh  child, 
is  in  her  eleventh  year,  and  is  also  living  with  me.  Charles, 
my  twelfth  child,  is  now  in  his  eighth  year,  also  living  with 
me.  Emily,  my  thirteenth  child,  is  now  in  the  fifth  year  of 
her  age,  and  is  also  living  with  me,  at  Hamilton. 

"  My  mother  had  straight  hair,  and  was  the  mother  of  sever 
al  children  besides  me.  When  my  son  Philip  was  six  months 
old,  my  mother  was  sold  and  sent  to  the  south,  and  I  have 
heard  nothing  from  her  since.  Till  I  was  seven  years  old 
I  lived  with  a  Mrs.  Brady,  a  white  woman,  a  paternal  aunt  of 
James  Clare,  my  half-brother  and  master,  and  my  aunt  also. 


108  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

When  I  was  Mrs.  with  Brady  I  was  sent  to  school  to  a 
Mr.  Crewson,  a  white  teacher.  In  my  eleventh  year  I  was 
sent  to  school  three  months  to  a  Mr.  Pilcher,  by  my  master 
Clare.  I  have  never  attended  school  since.  All  the  instruc 
tion  that  I  obtained  afterwards,  was  given  me  by  master 
Clare,  who  taught  me  himself.  I  can  read  well,  and  write 
a  little. 

"  I  lived  with  my  master,  James  Clare,  from  the  time  I  was 
seven  years  old.  At  the  time  of  his  death  I  lived  with  him 
on  his  plantation  on  Longmarsh.  He  was  about  fifty  years 
old  when  he  died.  He  married  Kitty  Svvanggym,  a  sister  of 
Eli  and  Jack  Svvanggym.  He  had  no  children  by  his  wife. 
She  died  a  few  months  before  he  did.  He  had  no  brother, 
and  but  one  white  half-sister  living  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
Eliza,  who  married  Dr.  Alexander  Fitz  Hugh,  Falmouth, 
Stafford  county,  Va.  Having  no  children,  he  adopted  a 
niece  of  his  wife,  Susan  Svvanggym,  daughter  of  Jack. — 
Susan's  mother  died  when  she,  Susan,  was  an  infant.  Susan 
and  I  were  brought  up  together.  At  the  death  of  her  aunt, 
Mrs.  Clare,  Susan,  in  her  sixteenth  year,  went  to  Hagers- 
tovvn,  in  Maryland,  to  live  with  her  father,  who  had  removed 
thither  some  years  before,  where  she  married  Dr.  Samuel 
Rench,  and  now  resides  there. 

"  James  Clare  always  treated  me  as  his  sister.  He  was 
much  attached  to  my  children.  He  treated  them  as  his  own, 
and  made  a  great  deal  of  them.  When  disposing  of  some  of 
his  property  after  his  wife's  death,  he  reserved  a  horse  and 
gig  for  my  son  Philip's  use,  on  Philip  requesting  him  to  do 
so.  Bushrod  Taylor  knows  the  manner  in  which  I  and  my 
family  were  treated  by  Mr.  Clare  and  wife.  James  Clare 
repeatedly  said  that  he  intended  to  free  me  and  my  children. 
He  often  spoke  upon  the  subject,  during  the  many  years  I 
was  with  him,  and  he  uniformly  said  that  it  was  his  intention 
to  make  us  all  free  at  his  death.  He  owned  a  plantation  of 
four  or  five  hundred  acres  which  he  inherited  from  his  father, 


NARRATIVE  OF  EMILY  WEBB.  109 

and  about  ten  slaves  besides  me  and  my  family.  His  habit? 
were  very  bad.  From  his  wife's  death  to  his  own,  a  space 
of  some  eight  or  nine  months,  he  was  almost  constantly  in 
toxicated.  About  two  months  before  he  died,  Eli  and  Jack 
Swanggym,  his  late  wife's  brother,  got  him  to  go  to  Eli  Swang- 
gym's  house,  seven  miles  from  his  own,  where,  in  a  state  of 
intoxication,  it  was  said  he  was  induced  to  make  his  will.  Jack 
Swanggym  prevailed  on  him  to  will  me  and  my  children  to 
his,  Jack's  daughter  Susan,  now  Mrs.  Rench,  instead  of  mak 
ing  us  free  as  he  had  always  promised  and  I  had  always  ex 
pected.  He  also  gave  her  the  furniture  in  the  house.  The 
rest  of  his  property  he  gave  to  the  children  of  Mrs.  Fitz 
Hugh.  He  disliked  Mrs.  Fitz  Hugh  and  her  husband,  and 
often  declared  they  should  never  have  a  dollar  of  his.  The 
last  two  months  of  his  life  I  was  constantly  with  him  and 
nursed  him.  A  few  days  before  his  death,  Redmond  Jack 
son  came  to  see  him.  Jackson  lived  near  Berryville,  about 
twelve  miles  from  Winchester,  when  I  left  Virginia,  and  is  a 
white  man.  Jackson  asked  him  why  he  had  not  given  me  and 
my  children  our  freedom,  in  his  will,  as  I  was  as  near  to  him 
as  Mrs.  Fitz  Hugh.  He  replied  that  it  had  always  been  his  in 
tention  and  wish  to  do  so,  but  that  he  had  been  told  that  by  law 
he  could  not  do  it  without  compelling  us  to  go  out  of  the 
State,  which  would  be  unkind,  and  that  Susan  would  treat  us 
kindly  and  better  than  Mrs.  Fitz  Hugh  or  any  body  else. 
Jackson  then  remarked  to  him  that  he  had  been  misinformed 
as  to  the  law,  and  that  he  could  legally  free  us  without  our 
leaving  the  State,  by  making  us  legatees  and  freeholders  un 
der  the  will.  My  master  then  said  the  will  should  be  altered, 
and  directed  me  to  send  for  Augustus  Smith  and  William 
MacCormack.  They  were  witnesses  to  the  will.  Smith 
came,  but  MacCormack  did  not.  Smith  was  directed  to 
make  the  alteration,  by  my  master.  Smith  said  it  could  be 
done  only  in  the  presence  of  the  witnesses,  and  they  were  ab 
sent — that  it  could  not  be  done  at  that  time.  My  master  died 
10 


110  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

shortly  after  and  before  the  alteration  could  be  made,  and  I 
and  my  children  became  the  slaves  of  Susan.  My  mas 
ter  died  on  Sunday,  about  9  o'clock  in  the  morning.  He 
was  buried  Sunday  evening.  I  held  the  lantern  at  the 
grave.  Dr.  Fitz  Hugh  and  his  wife  were  present.  The 
former  arrived  the  previous  Saturday,  and  the  latter  sev 
eral  days  before.  After  the  arrival  of  Doctor  Fitz  Hugh, 
my  master  became  stupid  and  insensible,  and  continued 
so  till  he  died.  His  tongue  turned  black.  Dr.  Fitz  Hugh 
and  his  wife  treated  his  remains  with  levity  and  disrespect. 
Mrs.  Fitz  Hugh  was  angry  because  the  furniture  had  been 
given  to  Susan.  She  tried  to  induce  me  to  send  off  secretly, 
or  conceal  a  trunk  containing  silver  ware  and  bed  clothing  ; 
and  when  I  refused  to  do  so,  she  abused  me  and  accused  me 
of  having  used  her  brother's  property  as  my  own,  and  of  act 
ing  as  though  I  were  one  of  his  family,  and  said  if  I  had 
been  left  to  her,  she  would  have  sent  me  away  as  far  as  hand 
could  carry  me. 

« In  1835  I  bought  myself  of  Dr.  Samuel  Rench,  Williams- 
port,  Maryland,  the  husband  of  Susan.  He  demanded  three 
hundred  dollars  for  me  and  my  then  two  youngest  children. 
But  his  wife  prevailed  on  him  to  sell  me  separately  at  one 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  I  paid  him  one  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  cash.  And  thus  I  became  free.  I  earned  the  money 
by  washing  in  Berryville.  Since  James  Clare's  death  and 
up  to  this  time,  Dr.  Rench  had  given  me  my  time,  in  consid 
eration  of  my  bearing  and  maintaining  my  children  till  they 
arrived  at  an  age  to  be  profitable  to  him.  He  or  his  wife 
took  them  away  to  Maryland  as  fast  as  they  arrived  at  ten 
years  of  age.  I  fed,  nursed  and  clothed  them,  and  paid  their 
doctor's  bills  till  removed.  The  children  that  were  taken 
away  from  me  by  Dr.  Rench  or  his  wife,  were  Samuel,  Philip, 
John,  and  William.  My  two  youngest  children,  having  been 
born  after  I  purchased  my  freedom,  were  born  free. 

"In  1838  Samuel  and  Philip  fled  from  Dr.  Rench  to  Cana- 


NARRATIVE  OF  EMILY  WEBB.  Ill 

da.  Thereupon  Dr.  Rench  sold  the  other  two  boys  to  Bow 
ly  and  Crow,  slave-traders,  Charlestown,  Virginia.  Dr. 
Rench  had  promised  me  that  I  should  be  allowed  to  furnish 
a  purchaser,  whenever  he  wished  to  sell  my  boys.  I  went  to 
Williamsport  and  expostulated  with  him.  He  justified  him 
self  by  saying  the  traders  were  sent  to  him  by  Bushrod  Tay 
lor,  who  pretended  that  he  was  to  have  my  two  boys,  for 
whom  he  was  to  give  Bowly  and  Crow  some  newly  bought 
slaves  in  exchange.  Dr.  Rench  said  he  was,  however,  as 
good  a  friend  to  me  and  my  children  as  Bushrod  Taylor,  who 
got  his  money  by  slave-dealing.  On  searching  the  records  in 
the  Clerk's  office  at  Hagerstown,  Maryland,  I  found  that  the 
names  of  my  sons  had  been  omitted  to  be  registered  within 
thirty  days  from  the  time  they  were  brought  into  the  State, 
as  the  laws  of  Maryland  required.  I  got  a  certificate  from 
the  Clerk,  of  the  fact  In  the  opinion  of  the  Clerk,  Macky 
Tidball,  brother  of  Thomas  Allen  Tidball,  Winchester,  my 
sons  were  free  by  reason  of  the  omission.  Bowly  and  Crow 
had  taken  my  sons  to  Charlestown,  Virginia,  with  the  inten 
tion  of  selling  them  south.  I  hurried  thither.  I  caused  a 
suit  to  be  brought  against  them  for  the  freedom  of  the  boys. 
My  lawyers  were  Edward  Cook  and  Richard  Bird,  since  a 
member  of  Congress.  Bowly  and  Crow's  lawyers  were  Moses 
Hunter  and  Mr.  Berry.  Bowly  and  Crow  were  arrested 
sometime  in  October,  1838,  and  compelled  to  give  bail  for 
the  appearance  of  the  boys,  in  two  thousand  dollars  ;  for  one 
night  the  boys  were  induced  to  conceal  themselves  to  prevent 
their  being  smuggled  off  by  Bowly  and  Crow  before  a  writ 
could  be  served  on  them.  Bowly  came  to  Carter's  tavern, 
where  I  was  staying,  and  calling  me  out  said,  '  Your  boys 
have  run  off,  and  you  are  the  cause  of  it.  If  you  don't  tell 

me  where  they  are,  you  d d  infernal  yellow  bitch  of  h — 1, 

I  will  kill  you,  G — d  d n  you.'  Judge  Douglas  presided 

in  the  Court  in  which  the  suit  was  brought.  A  trial  was  had 
about  the  20th  of  June,  1839,  and  the  Judge  decided  that  the 


112  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

boys  were  slaves.  I  was  advised  by.  my  attorney  to  appeal. 
I  did  so.  Another  trial  was  had  at  Richmond,  and  the  deci 
sion  was  again  against  the  boys.  John  R.  Cook  argued  the 
case  at  Richmond.  Dr.  Rench  appeared  by  counsel  and  de 
fended  the  suit.  My  counsel  were  quite  confident  of  gaining 
the  suit.  After  the  trial  I  was  advised  that  the  only  way  to 
save  the  boys  was  to  get  them  back  again  into  Maryland, 
where  it  was  thought  that  by  law  they  were  free.  Fearing  I 
should  be  waylaid  by  Bowly  and  Crow  if  I  rode  my  horse,  I 
sent  him  on,  and  took  the  cars  to  Winchester.  I  explained 
the  plan  to  Bushrod  Taylor  of  that  place,  my  husband's 
master,  and  requested  him  to  permit  my  husband  to  go  to 
Charlestown  and  get  the  boys  out  of  jail  and  run  them  back 
into  Maryland.  Taylor  inquired  what  the  penalty  would  be, 
if  my  husband  were  detected  ?  I  answered,  thirty-nine  lashes, 
cropping,  and  banishment  from  the  State.  Well,  said  Taylor, 
your  husband  must  take  the  will  for  the  deed — I  will  give 
him  permission  to  try.  He  gave  my  husband  a  general  pass. 
The  same  day  that  I  arrived,  having  hired  a  horse  and  bug 
gy,  my  husband  set  off  for  Charlestown.  He  afterwards  in 
formed  me  that  on  arriving  there  in  the  night,  he  entered  the 
jail-yard  fronting  the  street,  and  succeeded  in  rousing  the 
boys  and  in  getting  the  youngest  and  smallest  one  through 
one  of  the  grated  openings.  But  the  opening  was  too  small 
to  permit  the  older  and  larger  boy  to  pass  through.  My  hus 
band  then  urged  the  youngest  boy  to  fly  with  him,  but  he  re 
fused  to  do  so,  declaiing  he  would  go  back  and  die,  rather  than 
to  leave  his  brother  to  be  driven  away  alone  into  the  south. 
He  returned  into  jail,  and  my  husband  returned  to  Winches 
ter.  Taylor  told  my  husband  that  he  was  a  fool  for  not  forc 
ing  the  youngest  boy  away,  as  i  one  was  better  than  none.' 
At  my  earnest  entreaty  and  with  Bushrod  Taylor's  permis 
sion,  my  husband  made  a  second  attempt  to  rescue  the  boys, 
but  failed.  Soon  after,  Bowly  and  Crow  took  the  boys  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  Charlestown  under  pretence  of  taking 


NARRATIVE  OF  EMILY  WEBB.  113 

them  to  dig  potatoes.  They  then  chained  them,  and  they 
were  seen  passing  Snigger's  Ferry,  twenty  or  thirty  miles 
from  Charlestown,  handcuffed,  in  a  carryall  on  their  way 
south.  John  was  sold  at  Augusta,  Georgia;  William  in  New 
Orleans.  On  their  return,  Bowly  and  Crow  boasted  to  me 
that  my  sons,  being  fine,  intelligent  boys,  sold  higher  than 
any  they  had  ever  sold  of  their  age. 

"  In  1838,  soon  after  my  sons  John  and  William  were  sold 
by  Dr.  Rerich,  Bushrod  Taylor  purchased  of  Dr.  Rench  my 
three  children,  George,  Martha,  and  Mary.  Dr.  Rench 
agreed  to  sell  the  two  girls  for  $300,  on  condition  that  Tay 
lor  would  sell  them  to  me  for  that  sum,  and  to  sell  him 
George  for  $400.  Taylor  asked  me  to  buy  the  two  girls, 
but  I  had  not  at  that  time  the  means.  Soon  afterwards, 
however,  I  was  enabled  to  purchase  the  two  girls  for  $300 — 
$200  for  the  oldest  and  100  for  the  youngest.  To  pay  for 
the  oldest  I  borrowed  $200  of  David  Fontleroy,  a  colored 
hostler,  and  gave  him  a  lien  on  the  girl  for  security.  I  bor 
rowed  $100  of  Sally  Cannon,  a  cousin  of  Taylor's,  to  pay 
for  the  youngest,  and  gave  her  a  lien  on  the  youngest  for  se 
curity.  In  January,  1841,  having  got  together  $90,  a  por 
tion  of  it  by  raising  hogs  and  making  and  selling  soap,  I 
offered  it  to  Miss  Cannon  towards  what  I  owed  her,  but  she 
refused  to  receive  it,  on  the  ground  she  would  have  the  whole 
or  none,  Taylor  then  offered  to  lend  me  the  balance  that 
would  be  due  Miss  Cannon,  $22,  (the  whole  debt  being  with 
interest  $112,)  providing  I  would  buy  George  at  $450,  and 
for  security  give  him  a  lien  on  George,  Martha,  and  Mary 
for  both  sums,  being  $472,  he  to  give  me  five  years  to  pay 
it  in,  the  interest  to  be  paid  annually.  I  accepted  the  pro 
position  and  executed  to  him  the  trust  deed  or  mortgage,  a 
certified  copy  of  which  is  attached  hereto.  The  first  year's 
interest,  $28,32,  I  paid.  I  failed  to  pay  the  second  year's. 
I  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  in  a  small  way,  in  which 
I  was  unfortunate.  In  1842,  in  July,  for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
10* 


114  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

curing  the  means  to  pay  off  Taylor,  from  my  sons,  I  travelled 
to  Upper  Canada  and  returned  to  Virginia  the  January  fol 
lowing,  without  having  effected  my  object.  My  sons  had  been 
unsuccessful  in  business.  After  my  return,  Taylor  mani 
fested  a  disposition  to  oppress  me.  He  came  to  my  house 
with  the  sheriff,  and  on  one  occasion  threatened  to  break  my 
head  with  the  stick  in  his  hand.  He  was  my  husband's 
master. 

"  Bushrod  Taylor  was  a  dealer  in  slaves.  He  often  bought 
and  sold  them.  He  was  connected,  in  the  business,  with  Ben 
Lewis.  He  speculated  in  slaves.  He  sold  slaves  to  be  sent 
south,  and  sent  others  to  the  south  to  be  sold  there.  He 
was  a  hard  master  to  slave  women.  He  kicked  and  cuffed 
them  publicly.  He  was  a  tavern  keeper.  One  of  his  female 
slaves  ate  some  of  the  remnants  of  the  breakfast  table,  which 
she  had  been  forbidden  to  do.  Taylor  knocked  her  down. 
She  fled  to  the  room  of  a  lady  boarder  for  protection.  He 
pursued  her  there  and  cowhided  her ;  and,  on  her  refusing  to 
work  for  him,  after  such  treatment,  he  sold  her  to  one  Offert, 
who  carried  her  south,  and  forced  her  to  become  his  mistress. 
Sam  Bayler,  James  Whiton,  John  Brooks,  and  Lucy,  with 
her  four  or  five  children,  were  amongst  the  slaves  that  Bush- 
rod  Taylor  sold. 

"  The  following  white  gentlemen  and  ladies  knew  me  while 
I  lived  in  Virginia,  and  can  certify  as  to  my  character.  Col. 
Treadwell  Smith,  Miss  Mary  Noble,  and  Jacob  Iseler,  all  of 
Berry  ville,  Clark  county,  Virginia.  John  M.  Blackamore,  of 
Frontroy,  Virginia,  Samuel  Brown  and  Aaron  H.  Griffith,  of 
Winchester,  Virginia.  EMILY  WEBB. 

"  State  of  New  York,   County  of  Erie,  ss. 

"  Be  it  remembered,  that  on  this  twenty-fourth  day  of  Au- 
ust,  A.  D.  1844,  Emily  Webb,  above  named,  came  before  the 
subscriber,  a  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  of  said 
county  of  Erie,  and  made  solemn  oath,  in  due  form  of  law, 


NARRATIVE  OF  EMILY  WEBB.  115 

that  the  facts  and  circumstances  in  the  foregoing  statement 
contained,  and  by  her  signed,  covering  nine  folio  pages,  are 
true,  to  her  best  knowledge,  information,  and  belief. 
FRED'K  P.  STEVENS, 

Judge  of  Erie  County  Com.  Pleas" 

"  State  of  New  York,  Erie  County,  ss. 

"  George  W.  Jonson,  of  the  city  of  Buffalo,  in  said  county, 
attorney  and  counsellor  at  law,  being  duly  affirmed  accord 
ing  to  law,  deposes  and  says,  that  at  the  instance  of  Emily 
Webb,  he  wrote  down  the  foregoing  statement,  and  the  facts 
and  circumstances  therein  contained ;  and  that,  after  the 
same  were  so  written,  he  carefully  and  truly  read  the  same 
and  every  part  thereof  to  her,  the  said  Emily,  and  that  she 
signed  the  same  in  his  presence,  and  in  his  presence  swore  to 
the  same  before  the  Hon.  Frederick  P.  Stevens,  one  of  the 
judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  in  and  for  said  county, 
of  the  degree  of  counsellor,  and  that  the  above  jurat  was  writ 
ten  and  signed  by  said  Stevens,  in  the  presence  of  this  affirm- 
ant ;  and  further,  he  says  not.  GEORGE  W.  JONSON. 

Affirmed  before  me,  this  31st  day  of  August,1844. 
FRED'K  P.  STEVENS, 

Judge  of  Erie  County  Court" 

"  THIS  INDENTURE,  made  the  1st  day  of  January,  1841, 
between  Emily  Webb,  a  free  woman  of  color,  of  Frederick 
county,  Virginia,  of  the  first  part ;  Alexander  S.  Tidball, 
trustee,  of  the  second  part,  and  Bushrod  Taylor,  of  the  third 
part — witnesseth,  That  whereas,  the  said  Emily  Webb  is 
indebted  to  the  said  Bushrod  Taylor  in  the  sum  of  four  hun 
dred  and  seventy-two  dollars,  as  appears  by  her  note,  bearing 
equal  date  herewith,  and  payable  in  five  years,  with  interest 
from  the  date,  the  interest  to  be  paid  annually,  and  the  said 
Emily  Webb  being  desirous  of  making  the  said  debt  safe, 


116  MEMOIR  OF  TOREEY. 

and  securing  the  punctual  payment  of  the  interest  annually  : 
Now,  This  Indenture  witnesseth,  that  for  and  in  considera 
tion  of  the  premises  aforesaid,  and  of  the  sum  of  one  dollar 
to  the  said  Emily  Webb  in  hand  paid  by  the  said  Alexander 
S.  Tidball  at  or  before  the  sealing  and  delivery  hereof,  she, 
the  said  Emily  Webb  has  granted,  bargained  and  sold  unto 
the  said  Alexander  S.  Tidball,  the  following  slaves,  to  wit: — 
George,  a  mulatto  boy,  about  twelve  years  of  age ;  Martha, 
a  mulatto  girl,  about  ten  years  of  age ;  and  Mary,  a  mulatto 
girl,  aged  about  seven  years — to  have  and  to  hold  the  said 
male  and  female  slaves  to  the  said  Alexander  S.  Tidball,  on 
the  following  trusts  and  conditions, — that  if  the  said  Emily 
Webb  shall  fail  to  pay  off  the  said  note  when  the  same  be 
comes  due,  or  shall  fail  to  pay  the  interest  thereon  punctual 
ly  on  the  first  day  of  January  in  each  and  every  year,  until 
the  principal  becomes  due,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  said 
Alexander  S.  Tidball  to  proceed  to  sell  the  said  slaves,  or  so 
many  of  them  as  may  be  necessary,  at  public  auction,  for 
each,  having  given  two  weeks'  previous  notice  of  the  time 
and  place  of  sale,  in  some  public  newspaper  printed  in  Win 
chester,  and  from  the  proceeds  of  sale,  after  deducting  a  com 
mission  of  five  per  cent,  and  all  other  costs  attending  the  exe 
cution  of  the  trust,  the  said  Alexander  S.  Tidball  shall  pay  to 
the  said  Bushrod  Taylor,  whatever  may  be  due  on  said  note, 
of  principal  and  interest  at  the  time  of  such  sale,  and  the  fees 
of  writing  and  recording  this  trust,  and  the  balance,  if  any, 
pay  over  to  the  said  Emily  Webb,  her  heirs  and  assigns. — 
It  is  agreed  between  the  parties,  that  the  said  Emily  Webb 
may  remain  in  possession  of  said  slaves  until  a  sale  becomes 
necessary  under  this  trust ;  but  she  is  not  to  be  at  liberty  to 
remove  them  out  of  the  limits  of  Frederick  county ; — and 
she,  said  Emily  Webb  covenants,  that  she  will  give  peaceable 
and  quiet  possession  of  said  slaves  to  the  said  Alexander  S. 
Tidball,  whenever  demanded  for  the  purpose  of  executing 


NARRATIVE  OF  JOHN  WEBB.  117 

this  trust.     In  testimony  whereof,  the  parties  have  affixed 
their  hands  and  seals  the  day  and  year  aforesaid. 

her 

EMILY  X  WEBB. 

mark. 

"  Frederick  County,  ss. 

"  On  the  llth  day  of  January,  1841,  This  Indenture  was 
acknowledged  before  me,  Clerk  of  the  Court  of  the  County 
aforesaid,  by  Emily  Webb,  party  thereto,  and  admitted  to 
record.  T.  A.  TIDBALL. 

A  copy,  Attesf,  T.  A.  TIDBALL,  ClerL" 

NARRATIVE   OF  JOHN  WEBB. 

"  I  was  born  in  Berry ville,  Clarke  county,  Virginia.  lam 
about  fifty  years  old.  I  am  now  residing  with  my  wife,  Emi 
ly  Webb,  and  my  five  youngest  children,  in  Hamilton,  in  the 
province  of  Upper  Canada.  I  have  been  the  father  of  thir 
teen  children  by  my  present  wife,  whom  I  married  about  the 
year  1815.  I  have  never  been  married  but  once.  My  wife 
was  the  daughter  of  Edward  Clare,  a  white  man,  and  has 
straight  hair.  My  children  were  called  William,  Samuel,  Phil 
ip,  Clarissa,  James,  John,  William,  George,  Martha,  Sarah, 
Mary,  Charles,  and  Emily.  George,  Martha,  Mary,  Charles, 
and  Emily,  are  now  with  me  and  my  wife  in  Hamilton. 
Samuel  lives  in  Hamilton,  and  has  a  family.  Philip  lives  in 
Drummondsville,  Upper  Canada,  and  has  a  family,  John 
and  William  were  sold  into  the  South,  and  are  now  living  in 
slavery  there ;  William,  my  eldest  son,  Clarissa,  James,  and 
Sarah,  are  dead.  I  am  a  son  of  Tarleton  Webb,  of  Berry- 
ville,  a  white  man,  who  has  been  dead  about  twenty  years. 
My  father  was  a  merchant.  He  kept  a  dry  goods'  store,  and 
owned  a  house  and  lot  in  Berryville.  He  had  no  wife,  and 
never  had.  He  died  very  poor.  My  mother's  name  was 
Patty  Peterson.  She  was  the  slave  of  Beverly  Whiting,  a 
white  man,  Bullskin,  Jefferson  county,  Virginia.  In  the  di 
vision  of  his  property,  at  his  death,  she  fell  to  his  daughter, 


118  MEMOIR  OF   TORREY. 

Elizabeth  Whiting,  of  the  same  place,  who  has  never  been 
married,  and  is  now  living  at  the  age  of  between  eighty  and 
ninety,  at  Bullskin,  unless  she  has  died  within  a  year.  My 
mother  had  no  white  blood.  Her  mother  came  from  Africa, 
and  her  father  also,  and  they  spoke  but  broken  English.  My 
mother  was  never  married.  She  hired  her  time  of  Elizabeth 
Whiting,  and  went  to  live  at  Berryville,  where  she  was  em 
ployed  by  my  father  as  a  servant,  about  his  house  and  store, 
on  wages.  She  lived  with  my  father  about  fifteen  years, 
and  had  by  him  five  children  besides  myself.  For  the  use  of 
her  time,  my  mother  supported,  at  her  own  charges,  her  chil 
dren  during  their  childhood,  and  paid  Elizabeth  Whiting  fif 
teen  dollars  a  year,  which  was  always  paid.  I  was  my  moth 
er's  second  child,  and  lived  with  her  at  Berryville,  till  I  was 
six  years  old ;  when  a  brother,  older  than  myself,  and  I  were 
taken  by  Elizabeth  Whiting  to  Bullskin,  to  live  with  her,  in 
order  to  relieve  my  mother  from  a  part  of  the  burden  of  sup 
porting  her  family.  The  estate  of  Beverly  Whiting  proved 
inadequate  to  pay  his  debts,  without  selling  his  slaves,  some 
fifty  in  number.  My  mother  and  her  five  children,  all  except 
me,  were  sold  for  that  purpose,  and  sent  to  Louisville,  Ken 
tucky,  where  they  were  owned  by  Smally  Bates  of  that  city. 
My  brother  William  and  sister  Sally  are  yet  living  in  Louis 
ville,  the  slaves  of  the  widow  of  Smally  Bates.  My  mother 
and  the  rest  of  the  children  are  dead.  I  heard  from  the  sur 
vivors  last  Christmas.  When  my  mother  and  her  children 
were  sold,  she  had  lived  with  my  father  about  fifteen  years. 
I  lived  with  Elizabeth  Whiting  three  years,  at  Bullskin, 
when  she  hired  me  out  to  Frederick  Clapper,  Shannondale 
farm,  Jefferson  county,  Virginia.  He  afterwards  removed  to 
Martinsburgh,  Berkley  county,  Virginia,  and  carried  me  with 
him.  I  lived  at  the  last  two  mentioned  places  two  years  each, 
when  I  was  returned  to  Elizabeth  Whiting.  Soon  after,  she 
placed  me  with  a  neighbor  of  hers,  named  Dolphin  Drew,  a 
tanner,  Snigger's  Ferry,  Clark  county,  Virginia,  to  learn  the 


NARRATIVE  OF  JOHN  WEBB.  119 

tanner' s  trade.  I  remained  with  him,  an  apprentice  of  the 
business,  four  years.  It  was  here  I  first  knew  Bushrod  Tay 
lor.  He  was  a  fellow-apprentice  in  the  tannery.  We  worked 
together  two  years,  the  last  two  years  I  was  with  Drew.  Af 
ter  I  had  been  with  Drew  four  years,  I  was  taken  home  by 
Elizabeth  Whiting  and  made  the  body  servant  of  herself  and 
her  brother  Beverly.  I  lived  with  her,  in  that  capacity,  eight 
years.  Bushrod  Taylor  continued  an  apprentice  to  Drew,  at 
the  tanning  business,  about  two  years  after  I  left.  He  then 
quit  him  and  rode  sheriff,  under  his  brother  William.  About 
five  years  afterwards,  he  bought  Drew's  tannery,  at  Snigger's 
Ferry,  and  carried  on  the  business  of  a  tanner.  Dolphin  Drew 
removed  to  Bullskin,  and  Beverly  Whiting  being  dead,  Eliza 
beth  Whiting  made  Drew  her  manager.  At  this  time,  I  had 
been  married  about  four  years,  and  was  twenty-five  years  old. 
Drew  and  I  fell  out,  in  consequence  of  which  my  mistress 
proposed  to  Bushrod  Taylor  to  buy  me.  Taylor  refused  to 
buy  me  without  my  consent,  but  desired  me  to  come  and  see 
him,  to  settle  on  the  terms,  etc.  I  went  to  Snigger's  Ferry, 
and  Taylor  and  I  agreed  on  the  following  terms : — He  was 
never  to  strike  me ;  he  was  to  allow  me  to  choose  my  mas 
ter,  if  he  should  ever  sell  me  ;  and  permit  me  to  buy  for  my 
own  account,  and  tan  in  the  yard,  without  charge  to  me,  all 
the  sheep,  dog,  and  hog  skins  I  had  the  means  to  buy  ;  and 
he  was  to  loan  me  money  for  that  purpose,  if  I  requested  it. 
I  shared  this  privilege  in  common  with  the  other  hands  in  the 
yard,  white  and  colored.  He  paid  Elizabeth  Whiting  six 
hundred  dollars  for  me.  After  I  had  worked  in  the  tannery 
about  four  years,  Taylor  hired  me  out  to  Thomas  Whiting,  a 
colored  shoemaker,  in  Berryville,  to  work  at  shoemaking,  at 
one  hundred  and  twenty  dollars  a  year,  Taylor  reserving  to 
himself  one  month  of  my  time,  and  clothing  me.  I  was  to 
have  no  part  of  my  time  nor  earnings.  Soon  after,  Taylor 
sold  his  tannery  at  Snigger's  Ferry ;  and  after  having  lived  a 
farmer  at  Berry ville  about  four  years,  he  went  to  Winchester, 


120  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 

Frederick  county,  Virginia,  and  commenced  tavern-keeping 
and  slave-trading,  where  he  now  resides.  I  was  hired  out  to 
Thomas  Whiting  about  ten  years,  by  Taylor.  I  then  hired 
myself  of  Taylor,  at  the  rate  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  dol 
lars  a  year,  I  to  clothe  myself.  This  was  a  better  bargain 
for  Taylor  by  twenty  dollars,  the  expense  of  my  clothes,  than 
that  with  Thomas  Whiting.  At  this  time  I  had  a  wife  and  six 
children  to  support,  and  my  wife  was  struggling  to  raise  the 
means  to  buy  her  freedom.  I  was  induced  to  hire  my  time 
of  Taylor,  as  above  mentioned,  in  order  that,  by  extra  labor, 
I  might  acquire  the  means  to  aid  her.  I  paid  Taylor,  promptly, 
the  price  agreed  on  for  my  time,  during  three  years  ;  the  first 
two  years  monthly,  and  the  last  quarterly,  in  cash.  I  worked 
for  Thomas  Whiting.  The  first  year  I  earned,  over  and  above 
the  one  hundred  and  twenty  dollars  going  to  Taylor,  about 
sixty-eight  dollars ;  out  of  which  I  had  to  board  and  clothe  my 
self  ;  the  residue  I  gave  to  my  wife,  towards  making  up  the 
sum  necessary  to  purchase  her  freedom.  The  next  two  years 
I  did  a  little  better.  I  had  to  work  early  and  late.  My  ac 
count  books  are  now  in  the  hands  of  Marshal  Nickling,  Ber 
ry  ville,  and  they  will  show  the  amount  of  my  earnings.  Thom 
as  Whiting  was  slow  pay,  and  Taylor  had  to  sue  him  for  my 
wages ;  and  it  was  this  that  induced  Taylor  to  sell  me  my 
time.  Whiting  died  sixty  dollars  in  my  debt,  which  I  lost. 
At  the  end  of  three  years  from  the  time  I  hired  myself,  Bush- 
rod  Taylor  took  me  from  Berryville  to  Winchester,  where  he 
was  keeping  tavern,  and  placed  me  in  his  stable  as  night  hos 
tler.  During  the  day  I  worked  out  of  the  stables,  at  all-work. 
I  was  allowed  no  privileges  except  the  small  gratuities  that 
gentlemen  were  pleased  to  bestow  on  me  when  they  left  the 
tavern  with  their  horses  at  night,  while  the  other  hostlers  re 
ceived  like  gratuities  through  the  day  as  well  as  night.  Thus 
I  labored  for  a  year,  during  which,  with  the  above  exception, 
I  got  nothing  above  my  food  and  clothes.  During  the  next 
four  years  I  was  the  principal  hostler,  and  the  gratuities  I  re- 


NARRATIVE  OF  JOHN  WEBB.  121 

ceived  amounted  to  some  three  or  four  York  shillings  a  day, 
which  went  to  support,  in  part,  my  family,  and  towards  pay 
ing  for  my  two  daughters,  Mary  and  Martha.  The  first  year 
after  I  went  into  his  stables,  Taylor  denied  me  the  right  to  se 
lect  my  master,  in  case  I  was  to  be  sold,  and  said  he  would  find 
me  a  master,  if  I  wanted  one.  He  threw  me  into  the  county 
jail,  and  kept  me  there  a  day  and  night,  and  only  let  me  out 
at  my  wife's  intercession.  He  took  this  step  because  Sally  Can 
non,  his  housekeeper,  had  informed  him  that  she  had  been  told 
by  Mango,  the  house-servant,  that  I  had  favorably  entertained 
a  proposition  made  me  and  my  wife,  by  a  Mr.  Smith,  stop 
ping  at  his  tavern,  from  Wheeling,  Virginia,  to  buy  me  and 
take  me  and  my  wife,  who  was  then  free,  with  those  of  my 
children  that  were  free,  to  Wheeling,  and  pay  us  higher  wages 
than  we  were  getting  where  we  were,  and  give  me  the  privi 
lege  of  buying  myself,  which  proposition  I  had  declined.  He 
afterwards  violated  our  compact  by  striking  me,  for  which  I 
was  under  the  necessity  of  flogging  him.  After  this,  I  have 
reason  to  think  that  Taylor  feared  and  disliked  me.  After  I 
had  served  Taylor  five  years  as  hostler,  I  hired  my  time  of 
him  at  eighty  dollars  a  year  and  found  myself,  which  I  did 
for  about  three  years,  till  I  left  Virginia,  on  the  18th  of  De 
cember,  1843,  for  Canada,  where  I  now  reside.  Up  to  the 
time  I  left,  I  paid  Taylor  for  my  time  as  agreed,  every  frac 
tion,  earning  the  means  to  do  so  by  shoemaking.  I  left  my 
account  books  on  my  bureau,  on  leaving  Virginia,  for  the 
benefit  of  Mr.  Taylor.  There  was,  on  my  books,  an  account 
of  some  thirty-five  to  forty  dollars  against  Betsey  Dodd,  for 
whom  I  worked  at  shoemaking.  For  a  long  time  before  I  left 
Virginia,  I  had  lost  all  confidence  in  the  honesty  and  human 
ity  of  Bushrod  Taylor,  and  I  was  informed  by  a  friend  living 
in  Winchester,  in  the  fore  part  of  December,  1843,  that  Tay 
lor  had  said  to  him,  unless  the  money  to  pay  for  my  children, 
which  my  wife  had  bought  and  mortgaged  to  secure  a  por 
tion  of  the  purchase  money,  was  raised  in  the  beginning  of 
11 


122  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

January  following,  those  children  and  myself  would  be  sold 
south.  I  thought  it  doubtful  whether  the  means  could  be  ob 
tained  seasonably  to  pay  for  the  children  and  buy  myself; 
indeed,  I  believed  they  could  not  be,  and  that  my  only  alter 
natives  were  to  stay  and  be  sold,  or  fly  from  my  oppressor. 
I  fled.  I  left  Winchester  in  the  night  of  the  18th  of  December, 
1843,  on  foot,  with  my  youngest  child  on  my  shoulder,  and 
my  four  other  children  then  with  me,  two  girls  and  two  boys, 
walking  by  my  side.  Except  these,  I  was  alone.  I  was 
accompanied  by  no  other  person. 

"  Bushrod  Taylor  is  a  slave  dealer.  He  has  been  con 
nected,  as  such,  and  as  a  gambler,  with  Ben  Lewis,  who  is  now 
dead  ;  also  with  one  Offert,  Brants  Jourdan,  Joseph  Minch- 
goomer,  Pitman,  and  others.  He  used  to  say  he  would  sell 
everything  he  had  but  his  wife.  He  whipped  his  slaves  a 
good  deal,  except  me,  whom  he  feared.  He  was  a  hard  mas 
ter  to  female  slaves,  and  showed  them  no  quarter.  It  was  no 
torious  at  Winchester,  that  a  Mr.  Hector  Bell,  of  Clark  coun 
ty,  once  a  man  of  large  property,  had  been  oppressed  by  Tay 
lor,  who  got  Bell's  property  into  his  hands,  and  sold  as  slaves 
Bell's  colored  half-brothers,  who  were  the  property  of  Bell. 
Taylor  had  the  reputation  of  driving  hard  bargains. 

"  I  am  known  to  the  following  persons  in  Winchester, 
who  can  certify  as  to  my  character.  Thomas  Allen  Tidball, 
Esq.,  Samuel  Brown,  and  Aaron  Griffith ;  and  to  Tread- 
well  Smith,  Esq.,  Marshall  Nickling,  Jacob  Iseler,  Esq.,  Mary 
Noble,  John  Thomson,  Esq.,  an  attorney,  and  John  M.  Black- 
more,  merchant,  all  of  Berryville. 

"  The  statement  of  my  wife,  Emily  Webb,  written  on  nine 
folio  pages,  and  sworn  to  before  the  Hon.  Frederick  P.  Ste 
vens,  on  the  24th  day  of  August,  1844,  has  been  carefully 
read  to  me ;  and  the  same,  so  far  as  the  facts  stated  therein 
came  within  my  personal  knowledge,  agrees  with  my  recol 
lections,  and  from  my  own  knowledge  and  from  information, 
I  believe  the  same  to  be,  in  every  respect,  true. 


NARRATIVE  OF  EMILY  WEBB.  123 

"  A  colored  man,  named  John  Harris,  was  thrown  into  jail, 
in  Winchester,  on  suspicion  of  being  a  runaway  slave.  He 
asserted  his  freedom,  and  wrote  to  a  friend  to  furnish  the  ne 
cessary  proofs.  He  got  no  answer  and  was  sold  to  Bushrod 
Taylor  a  slave  for  life,  to  pay  his  civil  fees,  Taylor  promising 
him,  at  the  sale,  that  if  he  would  serve  him  three  years,  he 
should  be  free.  At  the  end  of  two  years,  he  sold  John  into 
the  south,  in  violation  of  his  promise. 

"  I  have  heard  Bushrod  Taylor  say  that  the  surest  and 
most  valuable  crop  a  planter  could  raise  for  the  market,  was 
a  crop  of  young  negroes. 

"  I  can  read  tolerably  well,  and  write  a  little.  I  never  went 
to  school.  What  education  I  got  in  my  boyhood,  I  picked  up 
from  white  children  with  whom  I  associated. 

JOHN  WEBB." 

"  State  of  New  York,   County  of  Erie,  ss. 

"  Be  it  remembered,  that  on  this  thirtieth  day  of  August, 
A.  D.  1844,  at  Buffalo,  in  said  county  of  Erie,  John  Webb, 
above  named,  came  before  me,  the  subscriber,  a  Judge  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  said  county,  and  made  solemn  oath, 
in  due  form  of  law,  that  the  facts  and  circumstances  in  the 
foregoing  statement  contained  and  by  him  subscribed,  cover 
ing  six  folio  pages,  are  true  to  his  best  knowledge,  informa 
tion  and  belief.  FRED'K  P.  STEVENS, 

Judge  of  Erie  County  Common  Pleas" 

"  State  of  New  York,  Erie  County,  ss. 

"  George  W.  Jonson  of  the  cky  of  Buffalo,  in  said  county, 
attorney  and  counsellor  at  law,  being  duly  affirmed  according 
to  law,  deposes  and  says,  that  at  the  instance  of  John  Webb 
this  affirmant  wrote  down  the  foregoing  statement  and  the 
facts  and  circumstances  therein  contained,  and  that  after  the 
same  were  written,  he  this  affirmant  carefully  and  truly  read 
the  same  and  every  part  thereof  to  the  said  John  Webb  and 


124  MEMOIR  OP  TORREY. 

that  the  said  John  Webb  signed  the  same  in  this  affirmant's 
presence  and  in  his  presence  swore  to  the  same  before  the 
Hon.  Frederick  P.  Stevens,  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  in  and  for  said  county,  of  the  degree  of  coun 
sellor,  and  that  the  above  jurat  was  written  and  signed  by 
said  Stevens  in  the  presence  of  this  affirmant,  and  further 
says  not.  GEORGE  W.  JONSON. 

Affirmed  before  me,  this  31st  day  of  August,  1844. 

FRED'K  P.  STEVENS, 
Judge  of  Erie  County  Common  Pleas" 

"  State  of  New  York,  County  of  Erie,  ss. 

"  I,  Manly  Colton,  Clerk  of  the  County  of  Erie,  and  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas  thereof,  do  hereby  certify  that  Frede 
rick  P.  Stevens,  Esq.,  whose  name  is  subscribed  to  the  annexed 
affidavit  and  jurat,  was,  at  the  time  of  subscribing  the  same,  a 
Judge  of  Erie  County  Courts,  in  and  for  said  County,  duly  ap 
pointed  and  sworn,  and  acting  as  such.  Arid  further,  that  I 
am  acquainted  with  the  hand  writing  of  said  Judge,  and  verily 
believe  the  signatures  affixed  thereto  to  be  his  genuine  signa 
ture. 

"In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  name 
and  affixed  the  seal  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  said 
county,  this  31st  day  of  August,  A.  D.  1844. 

MANLY  COLTON,  Clerk" 

"  We,  the  undersigned,  members  of  the  Common  Council 
of  the  City  of  Buffalo,  certify,  that  we  are  well  acquainted 
with  George  W.  Jonson,  Esq.,  the  above  affirmant,  and  that 
he  is  an  Attorney  and  Counsellor  at  Law,  practising  in  this 
city,  and  a  gentleman  of  unblemished  character. 

LEWIS  L.  HODGES, 
SAMUEL  F.  PRATT. 

PATRICK  SMITH,  Alderman  1st  Ward" 
Dated  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  Aug.  31,  1844. 


NARRATIVE  OF  EMILY  WEBB.  125 

If  Mr.  Torrey  met  John  Webb,  and  these  five  wandering 
children  in  the  night,  some  miles  from  the  house  of  Bushrod 
Taylor,  and  with  rapid  wheels  and  flying  studs,  drove  them 
on  to  a  land  of  freedom,  was  he  therefore  a  thief  ? 

We  frankly  confess  he  did  this.  The  first  night  he  met 
them,  the  carriage  broke  down ;  Webb  and  his  children  re 
turned  to  their  cabin,  and  Mr.  Torrey  procured  help  the  next 
day  to  repair  his  carriage,  and  the  second  night  was  success 
ful.  The  Webb  family  are  altogether,  except  the  two  sons 
sold  south — a  happy  family,  and  with  some  hundreds  be 
sides,  will  ever  bless  the  name  of  Mr.  Torrey. 

It  is  obvious  that  a  very  particular  account  of  the  manner 
in  which  Mr.  Torrey  assisted  slaves  to  escape,  would  embar 
rass  future  adventurers  in  this  laudable  enterprise.  Whether 
any  individual  shall  engage  in  this  work,  is  a  matter  for  him 
to  determine.  In  itself,  it  is  always  good.  Mr.  Torrey  had 
great  confidence  that  it  would  do  much  for  the  general  cause 
of  emancipation.  It  certainly  makes  it  quite  hazardous  to 
hold  slaves  in  the  border  States. 


11* 


126  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

ARREST     AND    IMPRISONMENT     OF    MR.    TORRET. LETTERS 

FROM  BALTIMORE  JAIL. LETTER  TO    A    CONVENTION   AT 

SALEM. 

For  such  acts  of  mercy  as  assisting  the  Webb  family  to 
their  liberty,  Mr.  Torrey  was  seized  at  Baltimore,  tried,  im 
prisoned,  and  finally  murdered  by  the  State  of  Maryland. — 
He  was  arrested  June  24,  1844.  The  following  paragraph 
is  from  the  Boston  Morning  Chronicle  : 

"  Mr.  Torrey  was  first  arrested  on  the  complaint  of  one 
Bushrod  Taylor,  of  Winchester,  Va.,  who  swore  point  blank, 
that  Mr.  T.  had  helped  sundry  slaves  of  his  to  escape  from 
the  State  of  Virginia.  He  afterwards  admitted  that  he  never 
saw  Mr.  Torrey,  or  knew  any  harm  of  him ;  but  he  believed 
all  sort  of  evil  [good]  of  him.  Another  man  swore  that  on 
December  9th,  1843,  a  man  came  to  a  hotel  in  Winchester, 
and  entered  his  name  as  '  C.  Turner,'  staid  a  day  and  a  half, 
and  then  left.  That  he  neither  saw  or  knew  any  evil  of  him. 
Taylor  swore  that  he  complained  to  the  grand  jury  himself; 
and  that  he  meant  to  get  the  '  C.  Turner'  indicted. 

"  This  is  all  the  evidence  on  which  Mr.  T.  was  arrested 
and  imprisoned,  to  await  the  demand  of  the  governor  of  Vir 
ginia.  Gov.  McDonnell,  without  inquiry,  gave  the  requisi 
tion,  and  made  Taylor  the  bearer  of  it." 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Torrey  was  arrested  on  this  requisition, 
Wm.  Heckroth  brought  a  suit  against  him  for  "  aiding,  enti 
cing,  or  assisting"  certain  slaves  to  escape  from  Maryland. 
This  latter  suit  took  the  precedence  of  the  former,  and  Mr. 
Torrey  was  kept  in  jail  to  await  his  trial  in  Maryland.  Of 
his  condition  there,  his  own  letters  give  the  best  account. 


ARREST  AND  IMPRISONMENT.  127 

Letter  to  Rev.  Wm.  Torrey,  Holley,  N.  Y. 

"  Baltimore  Jail,  — ,  — . 

"  My  Dear  Uncle, — Your  welcome  letter  of  the  9th  ult., 
reached  me  yesterday.  I  should  have  answered  it  before, 
had  not  the  necessary  writing  in  relation  to  my  defence,  oc 
cupied  all  the  time  I  have  been  able  to  write.  *  *  * 
I  am  confined  in  a  room  with  the  worst  class  of  prisoners ; 
one  murderer,  one  counterfeiter,  one  receiver  of  stolen  goods, 
and  others  charged  with  the  most  infamous  crimes.  For  a 
week  or  two,  vermin,  of  all  sorts  abounded ;  lice,  roaches, 
bed-bugs  by  thousands,  fleas,  weasels,  red-ants,  and  moths. 
However,  in  time,  by  patient  effort,  we  have  got  quite  rid  of 
them.  I  have  now  a  bedstead,  mattress,  and  a  supply  of 
good  food.  I  trust  I  shall  not  hereafter  suffer  any  thing,  but 
the  irreparable  evils  of  imprisonment.  I  have  very  little  de 
sire  to  become  a  martyr.  How  I  should  act  in  prospect  of 
being  called  to  swell  that  glorious  host,  I  don't  know.  Did 
you  ever  hear  of  a  Torrey  that  suffered  martyrdom  ?  I  hope 
among  our  good  old  Puritan  ancestors  there  were  some  who 
had  the  martyr  spirit.  *******  Let  <  the 
heathen  rage,  and  the  people  imagine  a  vain  thing.'  The 
Lord  liveth  /  *  *  *  *  Your  affectionate  nephew, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

In  a  letter  to  Gerritt  Smith,  Esq.,  he  says  : — "  The  prison 
rules  exclude  newspapers,  while  cards  and  gambling  are  daily 
tolerated.  No  Bibles  are  placed  in,  or  found  about  the  prison  ; 
probably  on  account  of  the  incendiary  character  of  such  books." 

Extracts  from  Letters  to  his  Wife. 

"Baltimore  Jail,  July  9,  1844. 

"  My  Dear  Wife, —  *  *  *  *  Sometimes  I  am  very 
much  depressed,  and  reckless  of  the  result.  At  others,  I  feel 
more  cheerful,  and  willing  to  receive  from  God,  the  punish- 


128  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 

ment  of  ray  sins,  in  this,  or  any  other  form  that  may  seem 
best  to  him.  If  I  am  to  suffer,  it  is  a  great  consolation  to 
know,  that  it  will  not  be  in  vain ;  that  Providence  will  use 
even  my  sufferings  to  overthrow,  more  speedily,  the  accursed 
system  that  enslaves  and  degrades  so  many  millions  of  the 
poor  of  our  land.  So  in  that  I  do,  and  I  will  rejoice.  Shall 
a  man  be  put  into  the  Penitentiary  for  doing  good  ? — for  doing 
his  plain  duty  to  the  poor  and  oppressed  ?  That  is  the  real 
question  at  issue,  and  it  is  one  which  will  shake  down  the 
whole  edifice  of  Slavery,  even  if  there  were  no  other  issue. 
It  should  have  been  raised  in  the  case  of  Thomson,  Burr, 
and  Work,  those  three  devoted  Christian  brethren,  who  are 
now  in  prison,  in  Missouri,  on  the  same  charge  ;  but  whose 
case  have  attracted  very  little  attention  from  the  friends  of 
humanity.  I  have  often  lamented  it,  as  a  great  wrong  to 
those  excellent  men,  and  to  the  cause  itself." 

" Baltimore  Jail,  — ,  — . 

"  My  Dear  Wife, — I  am  still  in  the  room  with  the  same 
class  of  men  I  before  mentioned  to  you.  I  thought  it  easier, 
on  the  whole,  to  forbear  asking  for  better  accommodations. 
And  even  while,  for  two  or  three  days,  my  health  has  really 
required  it,  I  have  deemed  it  best  to  let  things  remain  as  they 
were. 

"  I  hope  I  have  been  of  some  use  to  my  fellow-prisoners, 
most  of  whom  '  suffer  justly,'  and  will  yet  suffer  for  the  crimes 
they  have  committed.  They  are  generally  persons  whose 
moral  education  was  wholly  neglected,  and  who  are  very  tho 
roughly  corrupted.  Their  habitual  conversation  is  loathsome 
to  a  degree  of  which  you  have  never  had  an  opportunity  to 
form  an  idea." 

After  the  arrival  of  Rev.  Mr.  Phelps,  who  visited  Balti 
more  for  the  purpose  of  doing  something  to  ameliorate  Mr. 
Torrey's  condition,  he  writes : 


LETTERS  FROM  BALTIMORE  JAIL.          129 

"  My  prison  accommodations  are  much  improved.  By  pa 
tient  effort  we  have  got  one  room  entirely  clean,  and  a  selec 
tion  of  the  better  class  of  prisoners  for  room-mates.  For  a 
wonder,  I  am  confined  with  two  honest  men,  to  one  rogue 
and  one  doubtful. 

"  Yesterday  was  a  strange  day  for  old  Baltimore  jail.  No 
Christian  minister  has  visited  it  since  I  was  imprisoned.  So 
yesterday  morning  I  made  a  temperance  address  to  a  few  of 
the  prisoners.  In  the  afternoon  I  preached  to  nearly  all  the 
prisoners,  with  the  keepers  and  their  families,  who  asked  leave 
to  come  in.  So  I  had  quite  a  little  congregation.  It  is  prob 
ably  the  first  time  that  a  prisoner  ever  preached  the  gospel  to 
prisoners  in  this  jail,  or  perhaps  in  any  other  in  our  own 
country.  I  hope  it  will  not  be  quite  in  vain.  At  any  rate, 
it  gave  us  one  very  quiet  and  pleasant  Sabbath ;  a  day  de 
voted,  in  part,  to  something  better  than  gambling  and  swear 
ing." 

This  preaching  would  have  been  continued,  had  not  Mr. 
Torrey  been  subsequently  forbidden  by  the  keeper. 

From  a  letter  to  Dr.  Gregory,  of  Sand  Lake,  N.  Y.,  we 
extract  the  following : 

"  I  shall  feel  more  for  poor  prisoners,  to  the  latest  day  of 
my  life.  A  few  days  ago,  I  took  up  the  cause  of  a  poor  col 
ored  lad,  fifteen  years  old,  born  free,  but  seized  as  a  slave  by 
a  man,  who  has  been  a  savage  tyrant  over  him,  till  at  last  he 
undertook  to  sell  the  child  to  a  trader.  The  boy  ran  off,  was 
caught,  and  put  in  prison.  A  few  days  ago,  he  was  cruelly 
beaten,  knocked  down,  and  stamped  upon,  by  the  tyrant,  be 
cause  he  refused  to  be  sold  !  I  hope  to  free  him.  Oh !  the 
colored  poor  man  is  indeed  helpless  in  these  slave  countries. 
The  maxim,  *  Kick  him,  Dick,  he's  no  friends,'  is  the  em 
bodiment  of  all  their  laws,  and  of  their  practice  under  them." 

To  Mrs.  Esther  Moore,  of  Philadelphia,  he  writes : 


130  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE  T. 

"  I  have  seen  much,  very  much,  of  the  oppression  of  the 
poor,  both  white  and  colored,  since  I  have  been  a  prisoner. 
I  have  seen  thorough-paced  knaves  liberated,  and  innocent 
men,  because  poor  or  simple-hearted,  •  subjected  to  imprison 
ment  and  loss  of  property. 

"I  do  not  wonder  that  persons,  who  look  only  at  such 
abuses  of  law  and  justice,  learn  to  consider  alb  human  gov 
ernments  as  valueless,  or  worse,  The  old,  but  now  illegal 
practice  of  imprisoning  men  of  color  who  were  free,  and  then 
selling  them  for  their  jail  fees,  I  think  I  have  broken  up  in 
this  jail,  since  I  was  imprisoned,  though  I  have  incurred  not 
a  little  of  the  wrath  of  the  lower  classes  of  slaveholders,  slave- 
traders,  and  their  abettors,  by  so  doing. 

"  There  are  opportunities  constantly  occurring,  for  doing 
good  in  this  State,  in  relation  to  the  slaves.  It  only  needs 
some  one  as  vigilant  as  Elisha  Tyson.  As  for  the  present 
race  of  Quakers  here,  Heaven  have  mercy  on  their  coats  and 
jackets  !  They  are  afraid  even  to  visit  me  in  prison  ;  afraid 
of  the  least  odium  in  the  defence  of  principles,  which  they 
privately  profess  to  glory  in,  as  the  best  feature  of  their  sect. 
In  some  parts  of  the  State,  I  have  met  with  individuals  who 
had  a  better,  and  a  bolder  spirit.  Nothing  will  stir  these  Ma 
ryland  anti-slavery  men,  but  some  persecution ;  something 
which  shall  drive  them  to  the  wall.  Then  they  will  fight,  and 
that  successfully.  *  *  *  CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

The  convention  contemplated  in  the  following  noble  letter, 
was  not  held ;  but  that  does  not  diminish  its  merits,  nor  the 
interest  with  which  it  will  be  read. 


LETTER  TO  THE  ESSEX  COUNTY  ABOLITIONISTS. 

"  To  the  President  of  the  Liberty  Convention,  Salem,  Mass.,  to  meet  Aug.  1 , 1 844. 

"  Dear  Sir, — I  trust  it  will  not  be  deemed  an  intrusion,  or 
an  act  of  presumption,  for  a  poor  prisoner,  the  daily  cornpan- 


LETTERS  FROM  BALTIMORE  JAIL.  131 

ion  of  felons,  to  address  you,  and  through  you  an  assembly 
composed,  1  presume,  chiefly  of  my  personal  acquaintances 
and  friends,  most  of  whom  are  old  associates  in  labors  mani 
fold  in  behalf  of  the  slave,  and  other  objects  of  benevolence, 
dear  to  the  heart  of  the  Christian  and  philanthropist. 

"  You  are  free  ;  I  am  in  the  common  jail  of  the  city  of  Bal 
timore.  Before  you  are  gathered  thronging  thousands  of  up 
right  and  Christian  men,  lovely  and  pure  and  self-denying 
women,  to  know  whom  is  honor,  to  be  esteemed  by  whom  is 
happiness.  My  companions  consist  of  about  eighty  men  and 
women  ;  a  few  of  whom  are  unfortunate  debtors,  confined  by 
laws  as  senseless  as  they  are  brutal ;  a  few  more,  slaves, 
confined  for  loving  freedom  too  well ;  a  few  more,  free  colored 
persons,  shut  up  in  prison  to  compel  them  to  prove  their  legal 
title  to  be  free  ;  but  most  of  the  whole  number  composed  of 
thieves,  murderers,  pickpockets,  swindlers,  men  who  have 
brutally  beaten  their  wives,  while  one  or  both  were  drunk, 
rowdies  and  loafers  from  the  street-fights,  harlots  and  bawds 
from  the  brothels,  and  a  mixed  multitude  of  other  like  crimi 
nals  ;  few  of  whom  have  much  in  their  characters,  save  their 
guilt  and  poverty  and  ignorance,  to  excite  the  sympathy 
which  is  very  scantily  accorded  to  most  of  them.  A  few  are 
found,  even  among  such  a  herd,  '  not  wholly  fallen  from  the 
nobleness  of  the  Deity,  that  His  hand  stamped  on  his  chil 
dren  ;'  and  a  few  men  of  education  and  character,  one  or  two 
of  whom  are  victims  of  others'  frauds,  are  mingled  with  the 
mass;  just  enough  of  light  to  make  the  blackness  of  such  a 
place  of  moral  darkness  more  visible  ! 

"  You  are  met  to  bless  God  for  the  boon  of  freedom  on 
800,000  slaves  in  1838,  and  12,000,000  more  in  1843;  to 
note  the  progress  of  the  great  cause  of  universal  liberty,  and 
to  devise  and  execute  plans  to  hasten  the  hour  of  its  midday 
brightness. 

"  I  am  a  prisoner,  charged  with  aiding  a  few — some  half 


132  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

dozen — of  the  poor  to  escape  out  of  the  house  of  their 
bondage. 

"You  are  planning  certain  acts  of  justice  and  humanity  to 
many  millions. 

"  I  am  in  prison,  charged  with  similar,  though  not  pre 
cisely  the  same,  acts  of  justice  and  humanity  to  a  few  obscure 
men  and  women,  whose  only  crime  was  their  poverty,  whose 
only  fault  was  their  helplessness  under  the  power  of  the  task 
master. 

"  You  live  in  a  community  where  no  human  being  can  be 
a  slave ;  where  ijire  and  water'  are  denied,  both  by  law 
and  public  opinion,  to  the  pirate  who  shall  attempt  to  seize 
any  human  creature — no  matter  where  they  came  from — with 
a  view  to  reduce  him  to  slavery. 

"  I  am  in  the  prison  of  a  city  which  is  the  scene  of  a  daily 
traffic  in  the  persons  of  men,  women  and  children,  which  is 
as  much  more  atrocious  than  the  African  slave-trade,  as  the 
people  are  more  enlightened  than  the  savages  of  the  dark 
coasts  of  that  wretched  continent.  There,  a  savage,  mad 
dened  by  liquor,  sells  to  a  white  stranger,  captives  taken  in 
•war  from  hostile  tribes.  Here,  native  citizens  sell  American 
husbands,  wives,  sons  and  daughters,  in  cool  blood,  as  a  part 
of  the  regular  traffic  of  this  Christian  city.  The  traders  in 
souls  ride  in  their  carriages ;  their  families  mingle  in  its  so 
cial  circles,  and  own  pews  in  its  churches,*  and  are  very 
1  respectable'  men. 

"  You  live  in  glorious  old  Massachusetts,  the  fountain  of  the 
best  literature,  the  choicest  works  of  charity,  the  most  en 
larged  plans  and  deeds  of  benevolence,  the  source  whence  free 
principles  and  just  laws  emanate,  the  home  and  source,  for 
our  whole  country,  of  *  whatsoever  is  lovely  and  of  good 
report.' 

*  Hope  H.  Salter,  the  largest  slave-dealer  in  this  city,  recently  bought 
a  pew  in  the  splendid  new  Methodist  church  in  Charles  street,  much  to 
the  annoyance  of  many  of  the  worshippers. 


LETTERS  FROM  BALTIMORE  JAIL.         133 

"  I  am  in  a  State  where  a  few  rich  men,  for  many  genera 
tions,  have  trampled  down  the  laboring  classes  ;  made  abject 
slaves  of  one  half  (the  colored),  and  kept  the  other  half  in  a 
condition  of  ignorance,  poverty  and  povverlessness,  very  little 
better  than  slavery.  I  never  fairly  comprehended  what  was 
meant  by  the  '  peasantry'  of  European  countries,  till  my  tours 
in  the  slave  States  called  me  to  appreciate  the  condition  of 
the  laboring  whites  of  the  slaveholding  part  of  our  land.  Sla 
very  crushes  down  the  free  laborer,  so  that  it  is  not  strange 
that  the  slaveholder  talks  in  terms  of  contempt  of  northern 
laborers.  He  very  naturally  thinks  them  like  their  class  in 
the  slave  States.  In  this  State,  as  in  all  other  slave  coun 
tries,  industry  is  comparatively  unproductive  ;  half  the  people 
being  little  better  than  paupers,  with  few  motives  to  become 
otherwise.  The  education  of  multitudes  must  be  neglected, 
because  that  of  slaves  must  be  prevented.  Religion  must  fail 
to  secure  a  pure  morality,  because  it  cannot  be  allowed  to  in 
terfere  with  slavery.  Literature  must  languish  between  the 
ignorance  of  the  laborer  and  the  imbecility  and  indifference 
of  the  mass  of  idle  masters. 

"  The  fields,  the  fences,  the  houses  of  the  farmers,  their 
barns,  their  modes  of  cultivation,  their  domestic  economy,  al 
most  the  very  air  you  breathe,  reminds  you  at  every  step, 
that  thus  is  slaveholding,  degraded  Maryland ;  not  glorious, 
free  MASSACHUSETTS. 

"While  I  ask,  with  respectful  confidence,  the  sympathy 
and  aid  of  my  old  friends  and  fellow-laborers,  who  are  free, 
for  one  who  is  a  prisoner  in  the  cause  they  love,  I  ask  them, 
as  the  sons  and  daughters  of  free  Massachusetts,  to  feel  still 
more  deeply  for  the  SLAVES  OF  MARYLAND,  the  daily  vic 
tims  of  the  American  slave  trade,  the  most  horrible  traffic  that 
the  sun  ever  blushed  to  look  upon ;  for  the  millions  in  our 
land  whose  fate  is  far  worse  than  that  of  the  prisoners  in  that 
penitentiary  to  which  the  slaveholding  portion  would  consign 
me  for  pitying  their  victims. 
12 


134  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

"  I  have  an  object  in  addressing  you,  at  this  time,  higher 
than  that  of  asking  your  sympathies,  or  calling  you  to  contrast 
your  blessed  inheritance  with  the  woes  of  the  slave.  It  re 
lates  to  one  of  the  means  to  be  employed  for  the  overthrow  of 
slavery. 

"  It  is  my  full,  deliberate  conviction,  that  it  is  the  Liberty 
party,  or  in  other  words,  the  wise  employment  of  our  politi 
cal  power,  that  is  destined  to  put  an  end  to  slavery.  The  va 
rious  religious  bodies  composing  *  the  church,'  are  too  much 
corrupted  by  slavery,  to  be  the  leading  agent  in  its  overthrow. 
But  the  thousand  influences  that  link  men  to  a  political  body, 
can  be  employed  for  the  destruction  of  that  which  our  cor 
rupt  religion  cannot  cope  with.  And  I  have  ample  reason  to 
know  that  our  political  organization  is  doing  more  than  all 
other  causes  to  effect  the  great  object.  Still,  it  has  ever  been 
a  maxim  with  me  that  no  lawful  means  to  crush  slavery 
should  be  left  untried.  We  have  heads,  hearts,  hands,  and 
money  enough  to  use  them  all  with  their  greatest  power. 

"  The  employment  of  judicial  power  for  this  end  we  have 
overlooked  too  much.  We  have  too  readily  taken  it  for 
granted  that  our  courts  of  law  were  slavish ;  forgetting  that 
they  are  more  readily  reached  by  reforming  agencies,  in  our 
land,  from  the  very  nature  of  our  institutions,  and  from  the 
universal  recognition  of  the  authority  of  the  COMMON  LAW, 
than  any  other  body  of  men,  or  any  professional  caste. 

"  Accordingly,  we  have  taken  up  only  such  cases  as  Provi 
dence  has  forced  upon  us,  e.  g.  the  '  Med'  and  '  Amistad' 
cases.  In  these,  and  in  various  subordinate  instances,  great 
good  has  been  effected.  And,  without  any  exception  worth 
naming,  every  case  carried  by  the  abolitionists  into  the  State 
or  federal  courts,  has  been  ultimately  decided  in  favor  of  free 
dom  ! 

"  Providence  now  places  before  the  anti-slavery  body  three 
cases,  each  involving  distinct  and  momentous  questions,  each 
to  come  before  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  next 


LETTERS  FROM  BALTIMORE  JAIL.  135 

winter ;  each  of  which  carries  '  death  to  slavery'  written  all 
over  it;  and  which,  if  rightly  used,  will  more  than  accomplish 
the  work  of  its  universal  overthrow.  They  are  as  follows: 

"  1  st.  The  VAN  ZANDT  case,  on  appeal  from  the  U.  S.  Cir 
cuit  Court  of  Ohio.  This  will  test  three  very  important  points : 
1.  Whether  Congress  has  power,  at  all,  to  legislate  for  the 
recovery  of  fugitives  from  slavery.  2.  Whether  the  particu 
lar  law  of  1793  is  constitutional ;  and  3.  Whether,  in  any  event, 
slaves  escaping  from  or  to  the  new  States  can  be  recovered, 
under  the  constitution.  That  this  will  overthrow  the  law  of 
1793,  few  lawyers  can  entertain  a  doubt. 

"  2d.  The  BUSH  case,  now  before  the  local  court  in  Wash 
ington  city.  If  Bush  is  not  acquitted,  on  his  new  trial  in  Oc 
tober,  it  will  be  carried  to  the  Supreme  Court,  to  test  the  con 
stitutionality  of  slavery  in  the  District  of  Columbia.  Slavery 
exists  there  only  by  an  act  of  Congress  ;  an  act  that  body  had 
no  more  business  to  pass  than  they  have  to  establish  slavery 
in  old  Essex  county.  If  Bush  is  acquitted,  a  made-up  case 
will  be  ready  at  any  time,  to  test  the  same  great  issue.  No 
competent  lawyer  can  doubt  the  issue.  It  will  establish  FREE 
DOM  IN  THE  NATION'S  CAPITAL. 

"  3d.  My  OWN  CASE.  This  presents  several  new,  and,  in 
some  aspects,  f  \r  more  important  issues.  I  am  charged  with 
aiding  a  family  (a  father  and  five  little  children  !)  out  of  bond 
age  in  Virginia.  The  governor,  McDowell,  granted  a  requi 
sition  for  my  delivery  for  trial,  in  that  case.  On  this  I  was 
arrested.  The  case  goes  before  the  Supreme  Court  on  seve 
ral  issues  :  1.  Is  a  mere  requisition  enough  to  warrant  the 
surrender  of  a  man  charged  with  crime,  without  the  produc 
tion  of  the  evidence  to  prove  its  commission,  and  that  it  was 
done  by  the  person  accused  !  2.  Is  it  a  '  felony'  or  other  crime, 
in  the  meaning  of  the  constitution,  to  aid  a  slave  to  escape? 
No  law  can  make  it  a  crime  for  a  slave  to  escape  ;  it  cannot 
be  a  '  crime'  to  help  another  do  what  is  not  a  crime  for  him.  to 
do  himself.  The  constitution,  therefore,  gives  no  warrant 


136  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

for  the  surrender  of  a  man  charged  in  one  State  with  helping 
a  slave  to  escape  from  another  State.  If  so,  Congress  can 
make  no  laws  to  aid  the  recapture  of  fugitives,  or  making  it 
an  offence  for  citizens  to  aid  them.  States  cannot  make  it  a 
CRIME,  and  enforce  its  penalties  upon  citizens  of  other  States. 

"  That  these  points  will  be  so  decided,  I  have  little  ques 
tion.  The  Supreme  Court  has  virtually  decided  all  these 
points,  in  other  cases ;  cases  gotten  up  by  the  slave  States 
themselves. 

"  In  this,  as  well  as  in  the  other  case,  where  I  am  charged 
with  aiding  a  mother  with  her  son  and  daughter  to  flee  from 
this  city,  another  and  broader  general  issue  will  be  taken, 
both  before  the  State  and  United  States  courts.  It  is  this  : 
3.  That  by  the  laws  of  God  and  nature,  by  the  common  law, 
by  the  Constitutions  of  the  United  States,  of  Maryland,  and 
of  Virginia  even,  it  is  no  crime  for  a  slave  to  escape  if  he  can, 
and  therefore  it  can  be  no  crime  to  help  him.  The  local  stat 
ute  laws,  consequently,  which  undertake  to  convert  acts  of  hu 
manity  and  mercy  into  felonies  are  null  and  void,  not  less  so 
in  law,  than  in  morality. 

"  The  State  of  Maryland,  that  voted  its  thanks  and  swords 
of  honor  to  those  who  rescued  a  few  of  our  countrymen  from 
slavery  in  Tripoli,  CANNOT,  by  any  statute  law,  make  it  a 
crime  to  help  her  own  native  citizens  out  of  slavery  on  her  own 
soil.  The  thing  is  absurd.  Courts  of  equity  cannot  main 
tain  it.  Constitutional  judges  must  laugh  such  a  monstrous 
folly  out  of  court. 

"  Now,  these  points  properly  decided,  slavery  cannot  be 
maintained  an  hour  in  any  of  the  border  States;  and  wherever 
the  border  is,  unless  you  make  it  a  wall  of  fire,  the  result  must 
be  the  same.  It  takes  from  the  master  all  means  of  keeping 
his  victims  but  force.  Slaveholders,  as  a  class,  are  too  effemi 
nate  and  cowardly  to  holdori  to  their  victims  when  that  is  the 
case,  even  if  their  numbers  were  not  too  small. 

"  And  the  very  agitation  of  these  mighty  issues,  in  courts 


LETTERS  FROM  BALTIMORE  JAIL.  137 

held  in  the  bosom  of  the  slave  States,  will  topple  down  the 
whole  crazy  fabric  of  slavery.  Two,  if  not  three  years  must 
elapse  before  the  final  issue.  The  press  will  be  unchained. 
The  editors,  generally,  in  the  central  States,  are  anti-slavery 
men.  Nearly  all  in  this  city  are  so.  Their  presses  are  muz 
zled  by  the  constant  dictation  of  the  '  overseers.'  They  hate 
their  thraldom,  and  long  to  break  it.  Quietly  I  find  them, 
not  without  design,  in  most  cases,  filling  their  columns  more 
and  more  with  foreign  and  domestic  anti-slavery  news,  sta 
tistics,  anecdotes  and  arguments.  As  with  the  press,  so  with 
the  oppressed  majority  of  the  white  people  of  the  South. 
Just  in  proportion  to  the  intelligence  of  the  non-slaveholding 
class,  is  their  longing  desire  for  a  day  of  reckoning  with  their 
political  and  social  taskmasters,  the  slaveholding  minority. 
These  great  legal  issues,  thoroughly  urged,  by  able  counsel, 
will  break  the  ice,  unlock  the  lips,  and  loose  the  tongues  of  all 
this  vast  multitude.  They  will  contribute,  too,  to  free  from 
thraldom,  the  entire  legal  profession,  and  to  bring  out  their 
mighty  energies  on  the  side  of  sound  principles. 

"  When  I  ask  your  aid,  therefore,  it  is  not  merely  as  a  mat 
ter  of  personal  sympathy. — Words,  indeed,  are  not  adequate 
to  express  how  grateful  I  feel  for  the  prompt  liberality  of  my 
friends  in  Boston,  Salem,  Lynn,  Newburyport,  Amesbury, 
and  other  places  in  my  native  State.  But,  sir,  this  is  only 
one  of  the  various  modes  in  which  we  have  always  meant  to 
carry  out  our  views.  Some  of  you,  perhaps,  will  remember 
that  Wendell  Phillips  and  myself  devoted  an  entire  day,  in 
1838,  in  the  court-house  in  Ipswich,  to  the  discussion,  chiefly, 
of  the  very  issues  now  to  be  tried ;  little  dreaming,  at  that 
time,  that  they  would  ever  be  tested  in  a  case  involving  my 
own  liberty. 

"  But  God  orders  all  things  well. 

u  Let  Maryland,  let  Virginia  consign  me  to  their  peniten 
tiaries,  if  they  will,  if  they  can,  if  they  dare  to  do  it,  in  the 
face  of  God  and  before  the  civilized  world.    To  Him,  to  them, 
12* 


138  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

I  make  my  appeal.  And  who  can  doubt  that  the  voice  of 
Providence,  and  the  shout  of  the  civilized  world,  will  unite 
in  condemning  and  branding  with  INFAMY  a  State,  professing 
to  be  Christian  and  republican,  that  ranks  compassion  to  the 
poor,  and  succor  to  the  oppressed,  among  crimes  and  felonies  ? 
Let  them,  if  they  will,  convict  and  sentence  me  to  the  peni 
tentiary,  as  a  felon.  And  then  let  their  citizens  show  their 
faces  in  civilized  Europe,  to  say  nothing  of  our  own  free 
States,  half  redeemed  from  their  servility  to  slavery. 

"  To  you,  my  old  friends,  neighbors  and  fellow-citizens,  I 
can  appeal  with  honest  pride,  to  testify  that  there  is  nothing 
in  my  character  to  justify  their  deed.  I  appeal  to  all  who 
have  known  me,  from  my  youth  up.  No  Judge  O'Neill  can 
slander  me,  as  he  has  poor  Brown,  not  only  in  that  parody  on 
all  piety,  his  judicial  sentence,  but  in  a  recent  letter  to  the 
British  public,  through  the  Glasgow  Argus;  and  endeavor  to 
lessen  the  infamy  of  making  it  a  crime  to  help  men  out  of 
slavery,  by  showing  that  the  personal  character  of  the  man 
in  other  respects  entitles  him  to  no  one's  sympathy.  No, 
THANK  GOD,  Maryland  and  Virginia  must  go  to  trial  before 
the  tribunal  of  mankind,  on  this  broad  issue  :  '  Will  you,  in 
order  to  maintain  slavery,  (which  lives  in  your  States  only 
by  the  annual  sales  of  the  increase  of  its  victims  in  the  South 
ern  shambles,)  will  you  condemn  a  man  of  blameless  life,  and 
unspotted  Christian  character,  to  your  prisons  as  a  common 
felon  T  I  ask  you,  my  old  friends  and  fellow-citizens,  to  help 
me  to  hold  them  to  this  issue.  I  know  the  consequences,  to 
myself,  in  the  first  instance,  may  be  prisons  and  personal  suf 
fering.  It  is  not  what  my  heart  and  spirit  desire,  to  be  thus 
torn  from  my  wife  and  children.  1  came  to  Baltimore  to  re 
side  ;  had  completed  my  arrangements  to  engage  in  business 
and  remove  my  family  hither,  when  1  was  arrested.  Now,  I 
am  made,  in  a  manner  I  never  dreamed  of,  the  battle-ground 
between  slavery  and  freedom.  A  battle-field  is  commonly 
torn  up  by  the  violence  of  the  conflict. — But  let  the  strife  go  on! 


LETTERS  FROM  BALTIMORE  JAIL.          139 

whether  it  be  over  my  prison  or  over  ray  grave.  There  can 
be  but  one  result,  one  Victor,  one  triumph.  GOD  decided  that, 
when  he  made  man  in  his  own  image.  And  the  day  that  shall 
'proclaim  liberty  throughout  all  the  land,  to  all  the  inhabitants 
thereof,'  is  not,  cannot  be,  far  off.  I  shall  live  to  see  it,  and 
shout  over  it,  '  Blessed  be  GOD,  who  hath  given  us  the  vic 
tory  !' 

"  When  the  mob  imprisoned  me,  for  no  crime,  at  Annapo 
lis,  in  1842,  I  invited  many  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  this 
State  to  meet  me  there,  round  that  old  jail,  in  January,  1852, 
to  commemorate  the  abolition  of  slavery  in  Maryland.  I  now 
extend  the  invitation  to  you  ;  with  only  one  correction.  If 
you  and  all  who  now  labor  for  the  slave  are  faithful,  (as  I  do 
not  doubt  you  will  be,)  I  must  name  an  earlier  day,  and  a 
larger  place.  Perhaps  the  area  round  WASHINGTON'S 
MONUMENT,  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  will  be  a  better  place. 
It  is  his  monument  who  declared,  almost  with  his  dying 
breath,  that  '  so  far  as  his  suffrage  could  go'  to  abolish  sla 
very,  'it  should  never  be  wanting.'  Meet  me  around 
Washington's  monument,  on  the  4th  of  July,  1848,  to  cele 
brate  the  peaceful  triumph  of  liberty  in  Maryland!  And 
may  God  bless  and  keep  us  all  to  see  that  happy  day. 
Your  friend  and  prisoner  for  the  slave, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY. 

Baltimore  Jail,  July  29,  1844. 

The  following  letter  speaks  for  itself.  If  any  one  reads  it, 
to  whom  it  does  not  speak,  nothing  can  move  such  an  one. — 
The  introductory  remarks  are  by  the  editor  of  the  Emanci 
pator  : — 

MR.  TORREY'S  LETTER  TO  MARYLAND. 
"  The  following  letter  of  Charles  T.  Torrey,  to  the  people 
of   Maryland,  was  published  (as  an  advertisement)  in  the 
Baltimore  Sun,  of  August  30—  the  paper  having  the  largest 


140  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

circulation  in  that  city.  Considering  the  position  of  Mr.  Tor 
rey,  as  a  prisoner  in  a  slaveholding  State,  about  to  be  tried 
for  the  alleged  crime  (in  the  estimation  of  slaveholders  the 
highest  crime  that  can  be  committed)  of  inveigling  away 
slaves,  and  then  looking  at  the  spirit,  the  comprehensive 
views,  the  manly  and  unsubduable  maintenance  of  RIGHT, 
the  preparation  for  all  that  may  come,  and  the  solemn  sum 
mons  by  this  prisoner,  of  two  sovereign  States,  to  trial  before 
the  tribunal  of  the  world — it  is  one  of  the  most  extraordinary 
documents  of  the  year  1844.  It  will  be  read  with  the  most 
intense  interest  in  Europe  ;  it  will  be  read  in  the  year  1894, 
all  over  America ;  it  is  a  part  of  the  history  and  prominent 
mark  of  the  progress  of  the  abolition  cause. 

"  In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1842,  a  grand  convention  of 
slaveholders  was  held  at  Annapolis,  for  the  purpose  of  over 
awing  the  legislature  of  Maryland,  and  compelling  them  to 
adopt  extraordinary  measures  for  the  security  of  the  slave 
interest.  The  presence  of  Torrey,  as  a  reporter,  threw  the 
convention  into  a  convulsive  excitement ;  Torrey  was  sent  to 
jail  and  subjected  to  an  examination,  the  result  of  which  left 
the  convention  the  object  of  simple  contempt.  In  thirty 
months  from  that  time,  we  find  the  same  Torrey  boldly  ap 
pealing  to  the  people  of  Maryland  itself,  to  protect  him  from 
injustice,  as  the  only  means  of  saving  themselves  from  general 
execration. 

"  We  recollect  hearing  an  old  Virginian  say,  that  he  con 
sidered  the  result  of  the  Annapolis  convention  as  the  turning 
point  of  the  destiny  of  slavery.  He  said  that  it  was  the  first 
attempt  of  the  slaveocracy  to  take  a  stand  and  turn  back  the 
tide  of  abolition  ;  and  if  they  had  succeeded  they  would  have 
given  us  much  trouble.  But  as  they  failed,  their  failure  there 
was  the  index  of  destiny,  and  they  would  continue  to  fail  un 
til  slavery  itself  is  abolished." — Morning  Chronicle. 

"  To  THE  PUBLIC. — The  undersigned,  a  prisoner  in  the 


LETTER  TO  MARYLAND.  141 

city  jail,  in  Baltimore,  asks  your  attention  to  the  following 
statements :  If  I  was  as  widely  known  to  the  good  people  of 
this  State  as  I  am  to  the  citizens  of  New  England,  New  York, 
and  several  of  the  western  States,  it  would  be  of  very  little 
importance  to  me  that  a  class  of  persons,  such  as  traders  in 
slaves,  professional  fugitive  hunters,  and  subordinate  officials, 
with  a  few  slaveholders  of  the  violent  and  fanatical  class, 
should  employ  the  venom  of  tongues  reckless  of  truth,  to  as 
sail  my  character,  and  endeavor  to  make  Christian  men  deem 
me  a  fit  associate  for  felons,  or  men  of  their  own  grade  of  so 
ciety.  But  to  all,  save  a  few  college  classmates,  and  a  few 
others  whose  acquaintance  I  have,  in  most  cases  recently 
formed,  I  am  a  stranger.  I  am  imprisoned  on  charges  that 
render  me  obnoxious  to  the  displeasure  of  that  class  of  the 
people — not  very  numerous,  it  is  true — who  deem  their  in 
terests  involved  in  the  perpetuation  of  slavery  and  the 
slave  trade. 

"Let  me  be  distinctly  understood — Ida  not  ask  for  any 
man's  sympathy.  Did  I  desire  it,  a  statement  of  the  real  facts 
respecting  the  charges  against  me,  and  the  recklessness  of 
my  prosecutors,  would  secure  it.  But  my  demand  is  not  for 
the  sympathy  due  to  even  the  most  obscure  and  guilty  of  our 
race,  but  for  JUSTICE.  The  verdicts  of  the  courts  of  law  and 
equity,  some  of  which,  in  my  case,  will  not  be  given,  in  all 
likelihood,  before  February,  1846,  will,  if  they  are  what  I 
confidently  expect,  render  me  but  tardy  justice.  Meanwhile, 
I  have  an  appeal  to  make,  to  the  men  of  intelligence  of  all 
parties,  who  are  for  the  GOOD  NAME  and  the  PROSPERITY  of 
Maryland,  and  of  our  whole  country. 

"  First,  I  have  to  state  a  few  facts  relative  to  my  personal 
history.  I  do  this  with  reluctance,  and  solely  because  certain 
persons,  to  whom  allusion  has  already  been  made,  have  em 
ployed  base  means  to  convey  an  impression  to  the  religious 
public,  far  different  from  truth. 

"  It  is  not,  then,  a  matter  of  boasting,  but  of  simple  jus- 


142  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 

tice  for  me  to  state,  that  my  family,  education,  station,  em 
ployments,  and  character,  have  ever  placed  me  in  the  highest 
and  purest  class  of  society.  Deprived  of  both  parents  before 
I  was  four  years  of  age,  I  was  educated  by  my  mother's  father, 
the  late  Hon.  Charles  Turner,  of  Scituate,  Plymouth  county, 
Mass.,  who  will  be  remembered  by  the  older  politicians  of  this 
State,  as  one  of  the  few  republican  members  of  Congress,  in 
1812-14,  who  dared  to  hold  fast  their  integrity,  in  the  face  of 
a  frowning  constituency,  and  vote  for  a  declaration  of  war. 
From  him — a  soldier  under  Washington  when  Boston  was 
occupied  by  the  British — I  learned  to  hate  slavery  in  all  its 
forms.  To  all  who  have  known  me  in  the  thoughtless  years 
of  childhood,  or  when  a  student  in  Phillips  (Exeter,  N.  H.) 
Academy ;  a  classmate  in  Yale  College,  with  a  Robbins,  a 
Kerr,  a  McClellan,  and  others  from  this  State ;  a  member  of 
Andover  Seminary ;  a  pastor  of  churches  in  Providence,  R. 
I.,  and  Salem,  Mass. ;  agent  of  benevolent  societies  ;  a  con 
tributor  to,  or  editor  of  public  papers ;  or  any  walk  of  life, 
in  public  or  private  ;  to  the  tens  of  thousands  in  all  the  States 
named,  in  all  classes  of  society,  and  to  all  with  whom  a  brief 
residence  in  the  South  has  introduced  me,  I  confidently  ap 
peal.  Let  them  say  that  I  am  chargeable  with  one  act  that  is 
unbecoming  the  character  of  an  educated  Christian  gentle 
man  ;  one  act  that  shall  ever  cause  my  children  to  honor 
their  father  less  than  nature  and  affection  would  bid  them.  I 
make  this  appeal,  with  a  distinct  remembrance  of  the  past, 
that  during  the  last  seven  years  in  public  life,  I  have  often 
come  in  collision  with  the  views,  the  prejudices,  the  angry 
passions  of  religious  and  political  partizaus  of  almost  every 
class ;  and,  at  times,  have  been  assailed,  and  assailed  others, 
with  a  temper  that  even  the  excitement  of  partizanship  poorly 

justifies.  But  I  AM  WILLING  TO  BE  JUDGED  BY  MY  ENE 
MIES,  so  far  as  they  themselves  belong  to  the  reputable  por 
tion  of  society — slave  traders  and  their  abettors  do  not.  In 
THIS  State  the  first  effort  was  made  to  stamp  ignominy  on  an 


LETTER  TO  MARYLAND.  143 

unsullied  name.  In  January,  1842,  by  the  advice  and  at 
the  request  of  several  gentlemen  among  the  most  prominent 
whig  and  democratic  members  of  Congress,  I  attended  a  pub 
lic  convention — open  to  all  the  world — in  the  city  of  Annapo 
lis,  called  to  perpetuate  the  curse  and  crime  of  slavery  in 
this  State.  I  was  an  entire  stranger  in  Maryland,  having 
previously  spent  but  eleven  hours  in  it,  seven  of  which  were 
employed  in  passing  through  it.  By  the  malicious  acts  of 
certain  members  of  the  gambling  fraternity,  whom  I  had  of 
fended  by  exposing  their  characters,  a  lawless  and  drunken 
mob  was  excited  against  me,  and  I  was  thrust  into  jail.  No 
complaint  was  made,  no  oath  taken,  no  violation  of  law,  actual 
or  possible,  was  ever  hinted  at,  to  excuse  such  a  violation  of 
the  laws,  constitution,  and  hospitality  of  the  State.  In  all 
the  week  of  subsequent  investigation,  not  a  shadow  of  a  pre 
text  for  my  detention  appeared  ;  yet  certain  underlings  of  the 
press,  from  that  hour,  have  sought  to  connect  my  name  with 
epithets  belonging  to  the  class  of  felons  who  figure  in  the 
loathsome  police  reports.  The  wrong  done  me  by  the  citi 
zens  and  authorities  of  Maryland  at  that  time,  remains  unre- 
dressed ;  how  much  to  their  and  her  honor,  the  world  will 
judge. 

"  Four  months  since,  I  came  to  this  city,  to  make  it  my  per 
manent  residence.  Within  a  week  from  my  coming,  a  noted 
slave  trader  commenced  that  series  of  machinations  that  re 
sulted  in  my  arrest.  Whether  that  arrest,  in  its  results,  will 
bring  honor  or  shame  to  the  individuals  and  States  who  are 
made  parties  to  it,  of  one  thing  I  am  sure  ;  it  will  never  de 
stroy  my  good  name,  in  the  eyes  of  any  considerable  portion 
of  the  Christian  and  honorable  part  of  mankind.  This  leads 
me  to  my  second  object. 

"  2.  I  wish,  while  I  would  carefully  avoid  any  statement  that 
can  be  deemed  a  prejudgment  of  the  issues  to  be  tendered  to 
the  courts  of  law  and  justice,  to  have  the  public  understand 
the  nature  of  these  issues. 


144  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

"  I  am  charged  with  aiding  a  man,  a  native  of  Mary 
land,  sold  into  Virginia,  to  escape  from  slavery  in  the  latter 
Slate.  The  governor  of  Virginia,  in  the  common  course 
of  law,  demands  my  delivery  for  trial  there,  as  a  *  fugitive 
from  justice.'  My  open  residence  in  Baltimore,  with  a  rail 
road  to  Winchester,  whence  I  am  charged  with  aiding  this 
man  to  flee,  looks  very  much  like  flight !  to  be  sure.  I  am 
also  charged  with  aiding  two  women  and  a  boy  to  escape  from 
an  obscure  person  in  this  city.  It  is  said  that  I  have  been 
humane  enough  to  help  these  persons  to  escape  to  some  free 
State.  To  do  such  acts  of  kindness  to  the  penniless  slave,  I 
am  told,  has  been  by  statute  made  a  penal  offence,  in  these 
two  States.  Whether  the  facts  are  truly  charged  or  not,  is 
of  very  little  moment  to  any  but  the  poor  people  themselves. 
If  they  are  free,  there  is  room  for  twice  four  more  free  labo 
rers,  south  of  'Mason  and  Dixon's  line.'  To  myself,  while  I 
am  neither  a  martyr  nor  a  stoic,  to  pretend  to  be  insensible  to 
the  evils  of  a  separation  from  my  family,  from  society,  from 
all  opportunities  of  gaining  knowledge  and  of  benefiting  so 
ciety,  by  an  imprisonment  with  the  felons  of  your  penitentia 
ries,  yet  I  say,  without  hesitation,  I  had  rather  be  the  prisoner, 
than  the  judge  who  may  sentence  me. 

"  What  are  the  legal  issues?  1.  One  is  not  peculiar  to  my 
case.  It  is,  whether  a  mere  requisition  from  the  authorities 
of  another  State,  unsupported  by  evidence  of  the  commission 
of  any  crime,  or  of  the  identity  of  the  person,  shall  be  deemed 
sufficient  warranty  to  drag  a  man  from  his  home,  his  family, 
his  friends,  into  a  foreign  jurisdiction,  to  be  tried  by  strangers  ? 
If  so,  we  have  gained  little  by  the  revolution  of  1776. 
2.  The  second  issue  is,  is  it  '  felony  or  other  crime,'  within 
the  meaning  of  the  constitution  of  the  United  States,  to  aid  a 
slave  to  escape  to  a  free  State  ?  The  local  laws  of  one  half 
of  even  the  SLAVE  States  do  not  make  it  so.  3.  Has  SLA 
VERY  any  constitutional  or  legal  existence  in  Maryland  or 
Virginia  ?  or  does  it  exist  by  mere  sufferance  :  the  subject  of 


LETTER  TO  MARYLAND.  145 

restriction  and  regulation,  as  gambling  is  in  Hamburg,  and  was 
in  New  Orleans  at  a  very  recent  period  ?  4.  Is  it  a  crime 
at  all,  by  the  law  of  God,  by  the  common  law,  or  the  consti 
tutions  of  Maryland  and  Virginia,  to  help  a  man  out  of  sla 
very?  If  not,  can  a  mere  local  statute  law  make  it  so?  Can 
laws  make  acts  of  humanity  and  mercy  to  the  helpless  and  poor 
become  crimes  by  the  words  written  on  a  parchment,  and 
signed  by  officials  ?  Can  Maryland,  who  voted  public  thanks 
and  swords  of  honor  to  those  who  delivered  a  few  of  our 
countrymen  from  slavery  in  Tripoli,  make  it  a  crime  to  help 
her  native  born  citizens  to  escape  from  slavery  on  her  own  soil  f 
— Do  the  waves  of  the  Atlantic  change  the  nature  of  justice, 
mercy,  humanity,  and  make  them  crimes  and  felonies  ? 

"  Here,  then,  are  the  issues,  not  stated  with  legal  form  and 
precision,  as  my  learned  counsel  may  do  before  the  proper 
tribunal,  but  plainly ;  the  issues  on  which  THE  STATES 
OF  MARYLAND  AND  VIRGINIA  WILL  GO  TO 
TRIAL  BEFORE  THE  TRIBUNAL  OF  MANKIND. 
"  The  issue  is  not  whether  I  have  or  have  not  aided  four 
or  four  thousand  slaves  to  escape  from  slavery  in  Maryland 
or  elsewhere.  Had  I  done  the  last,  Maryland,  with  her  popu 
lation  kept  sparse,  her  resources  diminished,  and  her  proud 
name  dishonored  by  slavery,  should  hold  me  a  public  bene 
factor.  But,  not  without  mature  deliberation  I  aver  it,  I  AM 
NOT  ON  TRIAL.  I  shall  not  be,  in  the  eyes  of  mankind. 
This  thing  cannot  be,  shall  not  be,  done  in  a  corner.  It  is 
no  obscure  fanatic,  reckless  of  right  and  duty,  with  whom  the 
question  is  brought  to  an  issue.  No  Judge  O'Neill  can  slan 
der  me  as  he  has  poor  Brown,  not  only  in  that  parody  on  pi 
ety,  his  judicial  sentence,  but  in  a  recent  letter  to  the  British 
public,  through  the  Glasgow  Argus  ;  and  endeavor  to  lessen 
the  infamy  of  making  it  a  crime  to  help  men  out  of  slavery, 
by  showing  that  the  personal  character  of  the  man,  in  other 
respects,  is  such  as  justly  to  deprive  him  of  every  one's  sym 
pathy.  No,  THANK  GOD  !  Maryland  and  Virginia  must  go 
13 


146  MEMOIR  OF   TORRET. 

to  trial  before  the  tribunal  of  the  civilized  world  on  this  broad 
issue  :  '  Will  you  in  order  to  maintain  slavery  (which  lives  in 
your  impoverished  States  only  by  the  annual  sales  of  its  in 
crease  in  the  southern  shambles,)  will  you  condemn  a  man  of 
Nameless  life  and  unspotted  Christian  character  to  your  pris 
ons  as  a  common  felon  ? 

"  When  the  foreign  secretary  of  State  of  Great  Britain, 
Lord  Aberdeen,  from  his  place  in  Parliament,  seconded  Lord 
Brougham  in  proclaiming  the  infamy  of  Brown's  judges,  he 
uttered  no  mere  British  philipic  against  anything  American  ; 
he  spoke  the  sentiments  of  all  the  enlightened  part  of  man 
kind,  save  a  narrow  and  daily  decreasing  circle  in  our  own 
slave  States,  in  respect  to  the  system  of  slavery,  and  in  re 
gard  to  all  who  attempt  to  make  it  a  crime  to  relieve  its  vic 
tims.  Already,  scores  of  public  meetings  in  the  free  States, 
numbering  from  one  to  eight  thousand  persons  each,  have 
spoken  of  my  imprisonment  in  terms  like  the  following. 
These  resolves  were  passed  at  a  4th  of  July  celebration,  on 
Mount  Pleasant,  the  spot  fortified  by  the  Americans  after  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  by  the  fathers  of  many  of  those  present, 
to  my  personal  knowledge.  About  two  thousand  persons 
were  present. 

'  Resolved,  That  we  have  heard,  with  mingled  feelings  of 
indignation  and  sorrow,  of  the  arrest  and  imprisonment  in 
Maryland,  of  a  citizen  of  Massachusetts,  Rev.  Charles  T.  Tor- 
rey,  through  a  requisition  of  the  executive  of  Virginia,  charg 
ing  him  with  having  carried  out  in  practice  the  doctrine  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  that  all  men  are  created  equal, 
and  endowed  by  their  Creator  with  an  inalienable  right  to 
liberty,  and  with  literally  obeying  the  injunction  of  holy  writ : 

"  HlDE  THE  OUTCAST,    AND    BETRAY    NOT    HIM    THAT    WAN- 
DERETH  !' 

1  Resolved,  That  as  citizens  of  a  State  whose  bill  of  rights 
recognizes  no  slave  in  the  universe  of  God,  assembled  upon 
the  grass-grown  remains  of  one  of  the  first  entrenchments 


LETTER  TO  MARYLAND.  147 

thrown  up  by  the  men  of  1775,  within  view  of  the  first  battle 
fields  of  the  revolution,  and  of  the  old  cradle  of  liberty,  on  the 
anniversary  of  the  declaration  of  independence,  we  protest 
in  the  name  of  that  declaration  against  this  denial  of  its  truths 
and  violation  of  its  principles,  on  the  part  of  the  authorities 
of  Virginia  and  Maryland,  in  the  case  of  our  fellow-citizen, 
Mr.  Torrey ;  and  we  call  upon  all  who  love  liberty  and  hate 
oppression,  to  unite  with  us  in  indignant  reprobation  of  a  sys 
tem  which  can  only  exist  by  making  humanity  a  crime — a 
practical  belief  in  the  doctrines  of  the  revolution,  felony — and 
obedience  to  the  commands  of  God,  a  penitentiary  offence !' 

"  Nor  are  the  persons  who  express  such  views  abolitionists 
merely.  Few  men  can  be  found  in  the  entire  North  who 
cherish,  none  who  will  avow  any  other  sentiments,  unless  it  is 
to  serve  some  base  purpose  of  a  partisan  political  nature. 

"  I  may  be  tried,  convicted  of  doing  that  which  mankind 
will  pronounce  a  good  and  honorable  deed,  and  sent  to  your 
penitentiary  ;  the  thoughtless  crowd,  the  heated  partisan,  may 
think  lightly  of  it ;  the  fanatical,  nullifying  slaveholder,  may 
gloat  over  his  fancied  triumph  ;  but  there  are  not  wanting 
men  of  higher  calibre,  and  more  intelligence,  in  this  city  and 
State,  who  will  know  that  the  judge  who  consigns  me  to  a 
prison  will  not  send  me  alone.  The  honor  and  good  name  of 
the  State  will  bear  me  company.  How  will  it  affect  the  value 
of  Maryland  stocks  in  anti-slavery  Europe,  to  find  such  a  proof 
of  a  fierce  zeal  to  sustain  that  slavery  which  is  the  bane  of  your 
prosperity  ?  What  Christian  minister,  what  Christian  man, 
from  Maryland,  can  hold  up  his  head  in  Europe,  when  asked  : 
'  So  you  send  Christian  ministers  to  a  felon's  prison  in  Ma 
ryland,  do  you,  for  helping  slaves  escape  from  bondage  ?' 

"  Liberty  may  be  taken  from  me  ;  my  good  name  cannot, 
until  I  have  done  something  more  to  forfeit  it,  than  acts  which 
nine-tenths  of  the  civilized  world  deem  to  be  the  bare  per 
formance  of  the  duties  imposed  on  us  by  common  humanity 
and  the  Christian  faith. 


148  MEMOIR  OP  TORREY. 

"  I  said,  I  make  no  appeal  to  public  sympathy.  Let  the 
guilty  do  that !  I  shall  gi\7e  the  eminent  counsellors  who 
plead  my  cause  in  the  courts,  but  one  instruction ;  it  is, 
that  they  make  no  admission,  even  by  way  of  argument,  that 
it  can  be  a  crime  to  aid  one  of  God's  children,  formed  in  his 
image,  to  escape  from  slavery.  The  crime  is,  to  make  God's 
child  a  slave ! 

"  If  any  who  read  this  deem  my  language  that  of  pride,  I 
have  only  to  say  that  the  world  will  judge.  /  am  a  man, 
and  lam  right,  and  therefore  speak  boldly  to  those  who  are 
my  equals  and  no  more. 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

Baltimore  Jail,  Aug.  29,  1844. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

LETTER  TO  HIS  WIFE. ATTEMPT  TO  ESCAPE  FROM  JAIL. 

More  than  two  years  had  now  worn  themselves  away,  and 
Mr.  Torrey  was  goaded,  by  the  suffering  he  endured  within 
the  jail,  and  the  slanders  which  were  circulated  without,  to 
attempt  to  deliver  himself  out  of  the  hand  of  the  oppressor. 
The  attempt  was  not  successful,  and  he  was  kept  heavily  ironed 
for  the  next  eleven  days.  His  condition  during  this  period,  and 
the  reasons  for  trying  to  escape,  you  have  in  his  own  words. 

"  Baltimore  Jail,  Sept.  14,  1844. 

"  My  Dearest  Wife, — I  am  in  much  affliction.  When  I 
wrote  you  last  week,  I  was  suffering  with  a  fever,  the  ef 
fects  of  long  and  close  confinement,  Yesterday  I  made  an 
attempt  to  escape,  which  was  detected,  or  rather  betrayed  by 
a  counterfeiter  named  Dryer ;  and  myself  and  others  put  in 
to  the  cells,  in  irons.  The  excitement,  with  a  cold  cell,  and 


LETTERS  TO  HIS  WIFE.  149 

irons  so  heavy  and  painful  as  to  prevent  all  sleep,  have  brought 
on  the  fever  again.  I  suppose  I  shall  be  so  confined  till  Oc 
tober,  if  I  survive  so  long.  I  deemed  it  my  duty  to  try  once 
to  escape  out  of  the  hands  of  my  enemies.  But  God  knows 
best,  and  has  ordered  it  otherwise." 

After  giving  some  directions  in  regard  to  his  children,  if  he 
should  be  taken  away,  he  proceeds  : 

"  Do  not  feel  concerned  for  me,  my  dear  wife.  In  the 
darkness  and  anguish  of  the  last  night,  loaded  with  a  chain 
that  prevented  my  sleeping,  standing  up,  or  lying  down,  I 
was  enabled  to  look  up  to  our  Saviour  with  cheerful  confi 
dence,  knowing  that  his  gracious  hand  will  order  all  things 
for  our  good ;  and  whether  by  suffering  or  otherwise,  will  help 
me  to  come  off  more  than  conqueror,  through  him  that  loved 
us.  The  chain  that  is  riveted  to  my  ankles  will  not  hinder 
our  Lord  from  communing  with  me.  I  suffer  for  his  sake, 
and  in  his  cause,  and  he  will  not  forsake  me. 

"  Thank  God  !  the  good  men  who  aided  me,  are  more  than 
one  hundred  miles  of,  and  far  out  of  the  reach  of  my  perse 
cutors.  I  will  never  allow  others  to  suffer  on  my  account,  if 
I  can  help  it.  The  man,  Dryer,  who  betrayed  us,  is  a  negro- 
trader,  and  is  in  prison  for  passing  counterfeit  money.  He 
tried  to  get  my  confidence,  professed  to  have  become  an  abo 
litionist,  and  encouraged  us  to  escape ;  all  the  while  betray 
ing  our  plans  to  the  keepers.  There  is  no  trust  to  be  put  in 
such  wicked  men. 

"  You  need  not  fear  that  the  abortive  attempt  will  harm 
me,  except  so  far  as  present  suffering  is  concerned.  May 
God  bless  and  comfort  you.  Kiss  both  our  dear  children  for 
me.  Tell  them  never  to  forget  to  pray  for  '  poor  father.'  I 
was  much  comforted  a  few  days  ago,  by  a  letter  from  brother 
B.,  of  Cambridge,  informing  me  how  extensively  I  was  re 
membered  in  the  prayers  of  Christians,  in  New  York  as  well 
13* 


150  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 

as  in  New  England,  and  even  in  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio. — 
God  will  hear  them,  however  unworthy  may  be 
Your  affectionate  husband, 

CHARLES  T.  TORRE  Y. 

"  Sabbath,  Sept.  22,  1844. 

"My  Dearest  Wife, — It  is  the  Sabbath;  perhaps  the  last 
one  I  shall  be  permitted  to  see  this  side  of  eternity.  I  wish 
to  see  you  once  more,  but  I  cannot  bear  to  have  you  exposed 
to  the  insults  of  the  wicked,  who  are  doing  all  they  can  to 
sink  me  quickly  down  to  the  grave.  I  write  in  much  pain  of 
body.  This  is  the  tenth  day  since  I  was  chained  in  the  cell. 

"  I  have  to  write  on  the  floor  and  at  intervals.  I  am  not 
able  to  rise  alone,  from  severe  illness.  My  old  disorder, 
which  so  nearly  killed  me  in  1835,  has  returned  with  all  its 
force.  My  heart  throbs  constantly  and  painfully,  and  my 
head,  and  body,  and  limbs  are  never  free  from  pain.  The 
last  nine  nights,  I  have  slept  in  all,  less  than  fifteen  hours.  I 
have  not  been  able  to  eat  what  would  support  an  infant. — 
You  may  judge  of  the  state  of  my  body.  In  mind,  I  suffer 
less,  through  divine  grace  supporting  me.  But  I  have  new 
sources  of  trial  constantly.  On  Thursday  afternoon,  I  made 
my  will.  It  was  not  completed  till  about  dark.  Just  then, 
my  physician  came  in.  He  and  Mr.  Andrews,  out  of  sym 
pathy  with  a  sick  man,  staid  with  me  an  hour  longer.  To 
day,  I  am  told,  that  Mr.  Andrews  is  not  to  be  allowed  to  see 
me  again ;  nor  the  physician,  without  the  presence  of  the 
doctor  of  the  prison.  So  my  enemies  rage.  But  I  pray  the 
Xord  not  to  forsake  me  in  my  extremity. 

"  Your  last  letter  was  a  cordial  to  me.  The  story  my  per 
secutors  spread,  that  you  had  been  poisoned  by  their  false 
hoods,  utterly  unmanned  me.  I  am  sorry  my  letter  to  you 
was  miscarried.  But  Miss  M.  R.  Ball,  brother  Phelps,  Capt. 
Taylor,  and  Mr.  Andrews  will  give  you  full  information  in 
regard  to  all  the  means  they  have  taken  to  destroy  my  cha- 


LETTER  TO  S.  E.  SEWALL.  151 

racter,  as  well  as  to  injure  me  in  other  respects.  May  God, 
in  his  mercy,  forgive  them  all  their  wickedness  and  malice.  I 
do  not  feel  that  I  have  long  to  live.  I  would,  at  least,  die 
free  from  prison  and  chains.  But  Christ,  our  Lord,  knows 
best ;  and,  poorly  as  I  have  served  him,  I  trust  he  will  not 
forsake  me,  in  the  day  of  anguish.  I  believe  he  has  blotted 
out  my  sins. 

"  And  now,  my  beloved  wife,  and  my  little  Charles  and 
Mary,  farewell.  May  the  God  of  all  compassion  bless, 
guide,  comfort  and  protect  you,  in  life  and  in  death.  I  may 
not  be  able  to  write  you  again ;  but  when  we  are  near  the 
Lord,  we  shall,  I  hope,  be  near  each  other.  *  *  *  * 

"  I  am,  in  '  sickness  and  health,'  living  or  dying, 
Your  affectionate  husband, 

CHARLES  T.  TORRE Y." 

After  his  irons  were  removed,  he  addressed  the  following 
letter  to  Samuel  E.  Sewall,  of  Boston : 

"  September  28,  1844. 

"My  Dear  Friend, — Your  very  kind  letter,  dated  Sep 
tember  14th,  I  received  yesterday,  and  with  it,  enclosed,  $5, 
for  which  I  thank  you  ;  but  feel  much  more  indebted  to  you 
for  the  sympathy  and  Christian  feeling  you  express,  than  for 
the  money. 

"  For  a  fortnight  past,  my  situation  has  been  trying 
enough,  for  one  who  is  so  little  disposed  to  be  a  martyr  as 
myself.  My  lower  limbs  half  paralyzed  by  a  chain ;  my 
nervous  system  in  such  a  state  that  I  could  sleep  little,  and 
was  not  free  from  intense  pain,  chiefly  in  the  heart  and  brain, 
a  single  hour.  So  weak  too,  as  to  be  unable  to  sit  up,  or 
rise  without  assistance ;  conscious  that  my  mind  was  wander 
ing  strangely,  breathing  an  atmosphere  as  foul  as  the  vault  of 
a  privy,  with  little  human  sympathy,  and  very  little  attention 
save  what  a  chained  fellow-sufferer  could  give  me. 


152  MEMOIR  OF  TORKET. 

"  With  such  causes  of  suffering,  bodily  and  mental,  I  re 
gard  my  continuance  in  life  as  a  special  token  of  divine  good 
ness  ;  and  feel  bound  to  acknowledge,  with  deep  gratitude, 
the  grace  of  God  in  supporting  my  heart  by  His  good  Spirit. 
My  irons  were  removed  on  Tuesday  ;  my  bedstead  and  clean 
clothing  restored  in  the  course  of  the  week ;  and  again  I 
have  a  tolerable  supply  of  such  things  as  a  sick  man  needs. 
I  am  somewhat  better  in  health,  though  very  feeble.  Though 
unable  to  sit  up,  and  nearly  deprived  of  sleep,  the  necessity 
of  exertion  rouses  some  degree  of  mental  elasticity. 

"  I  must  contest  my  right  to  be  a  free  citizen  of  Maryland. 
In  so  doing,  Maryland  will  be  free.  Don't  laugh  at  a  poor 
sick  prisoner,  for  writing  in  such  a  strain.  I  am  not  quite 
crazy  to-night.  Nay,  I  am  sane  enough  to  claim  my  epau 
lettes  with  Col.  Whittier,  and  I  am  sober  enough  to  see  and 
believe  that  God  is  moving  in  the  hearts  of  this  people,  to 
bring  about  the  day  of  Jubilee. 

"  My  prison  will  be  the  last  prison  of  Liberty  in  this 
State.  *  * 

C.    T.    TORREY." 

The  sufferings,  to  which  Mr.  Torrey  makes  allusion  in  this 
and  his  preceding  letters,  were  not  all  he  was  called  to  en 
dure,  during  the  eventful  period  subsequent  to  his  attempt  to 
escape.  The  scorching  remarks  of  many  papers  upon  his 
attempt  to  break  jail,  together  with  the  "  horror"  expressed  at 
his  unwillingness  to  "  suffer  wrong,"  for  a  time,  blinded  some 
good  men,  and  induced  them  to  withdraw  their  sympathy 
from  him.  As  soon  as  Mr.  Torrey's  health  would  permit, 
these  considerations  called  forth  from  him  the  following 

JUSTIFICATION  OF  HIS  ATTEMPT  TO  BREAK  JAIL. 

"  I  have  commonly  acted  on  the  maxim  of  the  late  venera 
ble  Dr.  Emmons,  viz.  to  do  what  I  thought  right,  and  leave 


ATTEMPT  TO  ESCAPE  FROM  JAIL.          153 

to  others  the  business  of  justifying  me  or  not,  as  they  pleased. 
But  in  this  case,  when  I  attempted  to  do  what,  in  ordinary 
cases,  is  a  violation  oFjust  law.  I  feel  bound  to  depart  from  my 
usual  course,  and  ask  a  hearing. 

"  First,  As  to  the  facts.  I  obtained  from  friends  in  an 
other  city,  some  saws  and  chisels  with  which  to  escape  from 
prison.  No  prisoner  but  myself  knew  where  they  were  ob 
tained,  when  they  came,  or  who  brought  them.  The  persons 
who  brought  them  to  me,  in  the  jail,  did  not  know  what  they 
brought.  To  them  I  never  spoke  or  wrote  on  the  subject.  I 
had  most  of  the  tools  many  weeks,  and  all  of  them  for  a  con 
siderable  time  before  any  prisoner  knew  it.  I  never  asked 
any  prisoner  to  unite  with  me  in  the  effort  to  escape.  Neither 
the  *  vigilance  of  that  faithful  officer,  Mr.  John  Hoey/  nor  the 
treachery  of  Dryer,  nor  anything  else  but  my  sickness,  and 
such  a  degree  of  physical  debility  as  to  hinder  me  from  doing 
my  part  of  the  labor  and  watching,  prevented  the  entire  suc 
cess  of  my  plan  of  escape.  Sick,  myself;  betrayed  by  the 
counterfeiter,  Dryer,  (who  lived  on  the  food  I  gave  him  out 
of  pity,  and  then  basely  betrayed  me,)  my  attempt  was  de 
feated.  I  made  all  the  arrangements  for  the  effort  before  I 
had  been  a  week  in  prison. — The  first  arrangements  being 
defective,  I  made  better  ones  at  a  later  period. 

"  Secondly,  Why  make  such  an  attempt  at  all  ?  How  does 
it  consist  with  your  duty  to  submit  as  a  Christian  to  unde 
served  evils,  for  Christ's  sake  ?  Can  you  justify  yourself  to 
Him,  as  well  as  to  society  ?'  My  answer  shall  be  frank  and 
simple.  One  of  my  motives  I  cannot  wholly  approve,  on 
strict  Christian  principles.  In  all  other  respects,  I  think  I 
have  a  right  to  the  sympathy  and  countenance  of  all  honor 
able  and  good  men,  in  this  matter. 

"  1.  When  I  was  committed  to  jail,  every  single  item  of  the 
evidence  implicatiny  me,  in  the  Heckrotte  case,  was  false  and 
perjured;  yet  so  carefully  planned  as  to  make  it  well  nigh 
impossible  to  prove  it  so,  by  second  testimony.  Each  witness 


154  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

was  very  careful  to  have  met  me  alone  !  One  man,  however, 
swore  to  having  seen  me  f  at  my  mother's  house  in  Harford 
county,  Md.,  in  1831  or  '32.'  My  Massachusetts  readers 
will  laugh  at  so  gross  a  perjury.  But  the  knave  was  very 
anxious  to  identify  me !  In  the  Winchester  (Va.)  case, 
where  there  is  not  a  particle  of  true  evidence  against  me,  a 
false  witness  had  been  prepared  to  give  direct  testimony 
against  me  there.  Not  doubting,  from  the  known  character, 
threats  and  pay  of  my  prosecutors,  that  such  evidence,  to  any 
needed  extent,  would  be  brought  forward,  I  regarded  the  hope 
of  escaping  it  as  vain ;  at  least,  while  I  remained  shut  up  in 
prison.  2.  From  the  time  of  my  arrest,  the  whole  clique  of 
slave  traders,  slave-catching  police  men,  low  slaveholders, 
and  their  abettors,  including  one  or  two  of  the  prison  officers, 
have  made  it  their  business  to  abuse  and  slander  me  and  my 
friends,  with  the  general  object  of  preventing  the  existence, 
or  at  least  the  expression,  of  any  personal  or  Christian  sym 
pathy  for  me.  I  have  had  { too  many  friends'  for  their  pur 
poses,  as  they  often  complained.  I  found  threats,  persuasions 
and  falsehoods  freely  resorted  to,  to  hinder  respectable  citi 
zens  of  Baltimore  from  visiting  me ;  and  with  success.  My 
kind  landlady  and  the  young  ladies  of  her  family,  almost  daily 
called  on  me,  to  give  me  a  chance  to  breathe  the  fresh  air,  by 
walking  a  few  moments  in  the  prison  yard.  They  are  poor  ; 
they  are  not  anti-slavery  people ;  but  have  human  hearts, 
and  are  Virginians.  They  were  very  kind  to  one  almost  a 
stranger.  This  was  enough  for  malice  to  work  upon. 

"  Suddenly  the  young  ladies  were  excluded,  with  rude  in 
sults,  from  the  jail  yard.  The  reason  assigned  was,  such 
gross  lewdness  in  the  sight  of  half  a  score  of  persons,  con 
stantly  passing,  as  would  imply  in  me  and  the  lady,  a  degree 
of  shameless  degradation  that  not  even  rashness  and  drunk 
enness  would  excuse  in  common  street  walkers !  Such  a 
point  is  not  to  be  argued.  Those  who  deem  me  capable  of 
such  vice  are  very  welcome  to  maintain  their  opinions  till  the 


ATTEMPT  TO  ESCAPE  FROM  JAIL.          155 

judgment  day  !  This  shameless  tale  was  trumpeted  about  the 
city.  Of  course,  I  was  the  last  person  to  hear  of  it.  It  did 
me  much  injury  in  many  worthy  minds.  But  QGP"  no  person 
who  circulated  it  seemed  to  be  sufficiently  respectable  to  jus 
tify  a  direct  contradiction  or  action  for  slander.  It  was  deemed 
sufficient,  therefore,  to  connect  a  general  demand  for  investi 
gation  as  to  my  character  and  standing,  with  some  other  mat 
ters,  in  an  article  in  the  Baltimore  Sun.  This,  for  the  time, 
perfectly  silenced  the  band  of  miscreants.  But  they  had  gone 
too  far  to  retreat.  At  this  time,  Mr.  Deane  Walker,  formerly 
a  merchant  in  this  city,  but  now  a  respectable  citizen  of  Med- 
way,  where  my  family  now  are,  came  to  Baltimore  on  busi 
ness  of  his  own.  Hearing  the  flying  and  lying  reports  of  these 
persons,  without  saying  a  word  to  me,  he  appears  to  have 
made  some  inquiries  of  them,  as  to  what  they  alleged  against 
me. 

"  \£^=a>  Forthwith  they  spread  the  story  through  the  city,  as 
far  as  they  could,  that  '  Mr.  Torrey  had  long  been  separated 
from  his  wife ;  and  she  had  sent  on  Mr.  D.  Walker  to  obtain 
evidence  to  get  a  divorce  from  him.'  So  one  of  them  impu 
dently  told  me.  Mr.  Walker  had  brought  me  a  kind  letter 
from  my  wife  ;  and  I  knew  her  incapable  of  hypocrisy.  One 
of  them  met  one  of  my  counsel  in  the  street,  and  told  his  story 
in  triumph.  When  the  frequency  of  my  correspondence 
with  Mrs.  Torrey  was  suggested  as  inconsistent  with  his 
tale,  the  wretch  dared  assail  her  good  name.  '  She  can't 
be  his  true  wife,'  said  the  creature.  How  could  I,  a  prisoner, 
in  the  hands  of  such  beings,  tell  how  far  their  malice  had 
reached.  Might  they  not  have  poisoned  even  the  confidence 
of  my  wife  and  her  friends  ?  The  very  thought  was  mad 
dening — I  confess  that  my  feelings,  in  this  matter,  were  not 
very  Christian.  They  were  too  much  like  indignant  nature 
to  be  very  Christ-like.  It  was  not  till  after  my  attempt  to 
escape,  that  I  received  from  Mrs.  Torrey  a  letter  contradict 
ing  the  whole  of  their  atrocious  falsehoods,  so  far  as  they  had 


156  MEMOIE  OF  TORRE Y. 

connected  her  and  her  friends  with  their  tales.  In  this  con 
nection  it  should  be  said,  that  these  persons  have  spared  no 
falsehood  to  destroy  the  good  name  of  the  family  in  which  I 
boarded.  The  busiest  of  these  agents  of  shame  are  a  noted 
slave  trader  and  two  police  men.  Persons  like  these,  who 
hunt  and  sell  the  poor  colored  people,  may  be  expected  to 
vilify  poor  white  persons,  when  they  have  an  end  to  secure. 

"  The  time  has  not  yet  come  for  a  full  exposure  of  the  mo 
tives  of  these  wretches ;  but  it  is  not  far  off.  These  slan 
ders  determined  me  to  escape,  if  I  could. 

"  Thirdly. — Surrounded  by  low  defamers,  met  by  perjury 
in  the  lower  courts,  I  deemed  my  only  chance  of  JUSTICE  to 
be  an  appeal  to  the  UNITED  STATES  COURT.  This  was  de 
layed,  first,  by  the  refusal  of  the  Maryland  judge  to  take 
bail,  pending  the  Virginia  requisition  ;  and,  secondly,  by  the 
refusal  of  the  U.  S.  judges  to  grant  a  hearing  in  the  Virginia 
case,  till  the  former  was  disposed  of,  by  bail  or  otherwise !  I 
endeavored  to  procure  bail.  Here,  too,  my  vigilant  enemies 
interposed,  by  persuasions  and  threats,  to  prevent  my  obtain 
ing  bail.  Several  responsible  men  agreed  to  become  my  se 
curity,  and,  in  succession,  were  driven  from  it  by  the  agency 
of  a  certain  lawyer,  with  whom  justice  has  a  long  score  to 
settle,  yet. 

"  Thus  deprived  of  my  only  hope  of  a  fair  trial,  my  health 
already  broken  down,  and  my  brain  fevered  by  protracted 
and  close  imprisonment,  deeming  all  the  charges  made  against 
me,  criminal  in  those  who  made  them  ;  I  deemed  an  escape 
from  Baltimore  jail  justifiable,  on  the  same  principles  on 
which  the  escape  of  Paul  was  justified,  when  he  was  let 
down  from  the  wall  in  a  basket.  Let  those  who  judge  other 
wise,  give  their  reasons — I  will  try  to  give  them  due  weight. 
But  so  long  as  I  see  SLAVERY  to  be  a  HEAVEN-DARING 
CRIME,  and  all  laws  that  maintain  it,  and  all  persons  who  en 
force  them,  to  be  obnoxious  to  the  divine  displeasure,  I  am 
afraid  I  shall  not  be  convinced  of  my  sin. 


ATTEMPT  TO  ESCAPE  FROM  JAIL.          157 

Fourthly.  '  But  the  other  prisoners  :  have  you  no  scru 
ples  as  to  the  escape  of  men  guilty  of  what  you  and  all  men 
justly  deem  crimes  ?'  /  have.  1.  The  case  of  Dryer,  the 
counterfeiter,  troubled  my  conscience  not  a  little  :  not  the  less 
so,  because  he  was  a  slave  trader.  Perhaps  that  is  the  rea 
son  why  the  press  of  Baltimore  has  treated  him  with  so  much 
tenderness  !  2.  There  was  a  boy  named  Davis,  charged  with 
stealing  a  rein,  worth  twenty-five  or  thirty-seven  cents,  not 
guilty,  as  I  believe,  though  not  a  good  boy,  by  any  means. 
3.  A  man,  named  Murphy,  who,  contrary  to  law,  had  already 
been  confined  twenty-four  days  on  suspicion  only  !  since  dis 
charged.  4.  An  Irishman,  charged  with  a  petty  theft,  com 
mitted  while  so  drunk  as  not  to  know  what  he  was  about. 
The  poor  man,  chained,  himself,  has,  since  that  time,  waited 
on  me,  in  my  severe  illness,  with  the  patience  and  kindness 
of  a  brother,  without  fee  or  reward.  5.  A  man  charged  with 
aiding  in  cutting  down  a  Whig  pole,  while  drunk,  not  a  very 
heinous  sin,  when  sober,  though  a  deed  of  folly.  6.  A  man 
called  Southmeade,  charged  with  stealing  a  horse  and  sleigh. 
Such  were  my  room-mates.  Casuists  may  settle  for  them 
selves  how  much  guilt  I  ought  to  feel  for  risking  the  escape 
of  these  persons.  So  far  as  myself  was  concerned,  I  believe 
it  would  please  God  if  I  could  escape  with  no  injury  to  oth 
ers,  just  as  certainly  as  I  believe  his  frown  rests  on  all  who 
keep  me  in  prison,  on  such  pleas  as  those  alleged  against  me, 
viz :  mercy  and  compassion  to  the  poor  of  the  land. 

"  Fifthly.  <  But  those  bullets,  that  powder,  and  that  torn 
letter  about  pistols,  and  what  not,  how  do  you  account  for 
that  ?'  I  have  to  say,  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  contents  of 
that  letter.  I  have  offered  Mr.  Pinkney,  the  deputy  attorney, 
and  also  the  board  of  visitors,  exact  copies  for  publication, 
(names  only  omitted,)  or  for  any  other  use  they  please  to 
make  of  them.  The  '  powder  and  balls'  were  sent  me  by 
mistake.  We  had  no  weapons  to  use  them  ;  and  did  not  in 
tend  to  have  any  in  or  near  the  prison.  Some  of  the  com- 
14 


158  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE T. 

pany  insisted  on  being  armed  after  we  left  the  prison.  I 
commend  them  to  all  who  believe  in  the  right  of  self-defence. 
I  do  not. 

"  THE  RESULT  : — Betrayed,  all  the  parties,  save  Dryer 
and  the  Whig  pole  man,  were  heavily  ironed,  and  placed  in 
damp,  low  arched  cells,  and  treated  worse  than  if  we  had 
been  murderers.  Two  of  the  three  murderers  now  in  this 
jail,  have  never  been  ironed  ;  the  third  for  a  few  hours  only. 
The  first  twenty-four  hours  I  was  loaded  with  irons  weigh 
ing,  I  judge,  twenty-five  pounds,  so  twisted  that  I  could  neith 
er  stand  up,  lie  down,  or  sleep.  We  had  the  dirty,  damp 
floor,  and  one  backless  chair  to  sit  or  sleep  on.  Lighter 
irons  were  then  placed  on  me,  and  kept  on  twelve  days  ;  du 
ring  all  of  which,  aside  from  the  effects  of  the  irons,  I  was 
unable  to  sit  up,  and  most  of  the  time,  to  get  up  without 
help.  It  would  have  touched  any  heart,  not  wholly  dead  to 
human  feeling,  to  see  poor  John  Stewart  holding  up  his  irons 
with  one  hand,  and  with  the  other  raising  up  the  chained  and 
emaciated  sick  man,  and  tenderly  ministering  to  his  wants  and 
his  weakness.  If  I  live,  and  have  the  means,  LESLIE  shall 
perpetuate  it.  Instead  of  reproaches,  John  constantly  cheered 
me  ;  but  for  him,  I  should  not  have  lived  to  tell  it.  May  God 
bless  him !  During  these  twelve  days,  my  bed  lay  on  the 
hard,  damp  floor.  My  linen  became  loathsome  from  filth. — 
The  air  of  the  cell  was  constantly  like  a  confined  privy  vault. 
[They  were  cleansing  a  large  vault  that  for  twelve  years  had 
been  undisturbed  !]  The  air  is  less  impure  now.  Seven  of 
these  twelve  nights  I  slept  none,  from  pain,  and  the  utter 
prostration  of  the  nervous  system.  The  remaining  nights, 
save  one,  I  slept  from  one  to  four  hours.  I  am  still  nearly 
deprived  of  sleep,  and  am  unable  to  sit  up.  With  pain  I 
stagger  across  the  floor  of  the  cell,  when  obliged  to  go,  yet  I 
am  much  better. 

"  On  Monday,  the  eleventh  of  these   days  of  horror,  Mr. 
Pinckney,  the  acting  district  attorney,  learning  my  situation 


LETTERS  FROM  BALTIMORE  JAIL.          159 

from  my  physician,  came  to  see  me,  and  ordered  the  removal 
of  the  irons,  and  the  restoration  of  the  comforts  and  decencies 
of  life,  such  as  my  condition  required.  The  humane  warden, 
Mr.  Steener,  assented  ;  but  his  subordinates  refused  to  obey. 
However,  I  got  my  bedstead  that  day,  and  the  next,  he  was 
able  to  enforce  obedience,  and  the  irons  were  removed  from 
all.  The  circulation  gradually  returned  to  my  sleepy,  half- 
paralyzed  limbs  ;  and  I  am  now  so  much  better  as  to  indicate 
that  six  months'  careful  nursing  might  restore  my  health  as 
it  was  last  June.  I  am  very  weak,  much  emaciated,  and  my 
nervous  system  in  the  same  state  in  which  it  was  in  1835, 
when  I  was  compelled  to  leave  Andover  seminary,  and  de 
vote  nearly  a  year  to  the  sole  business  of  regaining  health. 

"  Do  I  complain  ?  God  forbid.  *  Shall  I  receive  good  at 
the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  shall  I  not  receive  evil  ?'  What 
ever  I  may  deserve  at  the  hands  of  my  fellow  men,  (and  I 
think  it  is  not  chains  and  a  prison,)  I  desire  humbly  to  con 
fess  my  sins  in  his  sight.  Let  him  do  with  me  as  it  seems 
good  in  his  sight.  I  am  in  the  power  of  the  wicked,  but  their 
triumph  is  short.  My  God,  even  the  living  God,  is  my  trust 
in  prison,  my  hope  in  sickness,  and  my  strength  in  the  day  of 
weakness.  I  deemed  it  due  to  him,  to  my  family,  to  myself, 
to  try  to  escape  from  my  foes.  Having  failed,  I  shall  submit 
cheerfully  to  his  will,  and  strive  to  overcome  evil  by  suffer 
ing,  which  is  the  next  duty.  Such  is  my  justification,  writ 
ten  on  my  bed,  with  a  feeble  hand  and  aching  brain.  I  be 
lieve  it  will  commend  itself  to  my  friends.  If  not,  to  that, 
also,  God  will  help  me  to  submit  cheerfully.  *  He  is  my 
strength  and  my  shield.' 

CHARLES  T.  TORRE  Y. 

Baltimore  Jail,  Cell  No.  3,  Sept.  28,  1844." 


160  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 


CHAPTER   X. 

LETTERS  TO  MR.  ALDEN. TO  MRS.  WILLIAMS. TO  MR. 

MC'KIM. 

In  a  letter  to  J.  W.  Alden,  Esq.,  Boston,    Oct.  10,  Mr. 
Torrey  gives  a  minute  description  of  the  cell  to  which  he 
was  removed  after  his  attempt  to  break  jail. 
********** 

"  I  wrote  a  little  on  familiar  topics  yesterday.  A  night 
without  sleep,  in  spite  of  powerful  opiates,  was  the  conse 
quence.  So  it  will  be  to-night,  a  night  of  pain  and  restless 
ness.  This  is  aggravated  by  the  light  of  the  lamp,  which  we 
are  compelled  to  keep  burning  in  such  a  position  as  to  light 
the  whole  cell.  It  is  often  like  two  balls  of  fire  before  my 
eyes. 

"  Our  cell  is  about  sixteen  by  eighteen  feet,  on  the  floor. 
It  is  arched  length  wise,  from  the  floor,  the  arch  forming  about- 
half  a  circle,  of  eight  feet  radius.  The  door  is  in  the  middle 
of  one  end  ;  the  window  about  thirty  inches  square,  at  the 
side  of  the  other  end ;  fire-place  in  the  middle  of  one  side. 
"We  are  well  supplied  with  rats  and  mice,  red  ants,  and  mos 
quitoes.  The  front  floor  of  the  cell  is  about  a  foot  below  the 
level  of  the  ground  ;  the  back,  opening  on  the  entry,  is  about 
five  feet  below  the  surface.  Its  thin  floor  rests  on  small  joists, 
nearly  or  quite  resting  on  the  ground.  On  the  whole  it  is  an 
exceedingly  good  place  to  put  a  sick  man  to  a  lingering  death. 

"  One  of  the  prison  officers  told  me,  '  it  was  something  to  be 
expected,  that  the  health  of  a  prisoner  should  suffer* " 

That  Mr.  Torrey  did  not  prove  an  exception  to  this  rule 
of  suffering,  may  be  seen  from  the  following  letters,  though 
hardly  any  one  would  doubt  it,  when  they  considered  that  he 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  ALDEN.  161 

was  thrust  into  this  cell,  which  must  of  necessity  be  damp,  in 
such  warm  weather,  as  to  render  a  fire  uncomfortable, 

"  I  am  very  feeble,  and  my  nervous  system  is  perhaps  in 
a  worse  state  than  ever.  My  digestion  is  good,  and  I  sleep 
some,  though  it  is  not  very  refreshing,  I  am  still  in  the  cell, 
damp,  and  too  cold,  or  too  hot  and  fetid,  according  to  circum 
stances.  We  have  to  keep  a  fire,  day  and  night,  to  keep  any 
ways  comfortable. 

"  My  former  room-mate,  John  Stewart,  or  Sterling,  his  real 
name,  was  acquitted  yesterday.  My  lawyers  defended  him. 
I  am  very  glad  of  the  result,  he  was  so  kind  to  me.  He  is  a 
man  of  some  education,  broken  down  by  whiskey.  He  signed 
a  teetotal  pledge  I  wrote  for  him.  Rum  and  revenge  have 
kept  him  in  different  prisons  ten  years  out  of  the  last  eighteen 
Poor  man  ! 

"  They  have  put  in  a  boy  of  seventeen  to  take  care  of  me, 
a  boy  of  kind  feelings,  but  sleepy  and  thoughtless,  and  a  poor 
substitute  for  Johnny, 
********** 

"  Our  dear,  dear  little  children  ;  they  are  often  in  my  mind. 
God  will  take  care  of  them,  and  keep  them  from  evil,  far  bet 
ter  than  I  could  do,  if  I  was  free  to  watch  over  them.  Fear 
not !  with  niy  whole  heart  and  sotd,  I  gave  Charles  to  the 
Savior  to  supply  my  lack  of  service  to  the  heathen.  Never, 
for  one  moment,  have  I  wished  him  any  other  destiny ;  and  I 
feel  sure  the  Lord  accepted  him  at  my  hands.  I  should  love 
to  talk  with  those  dear  ones  once  more.  In  God's  time,  per 
haps,  he  will  permit  it" 

To  Mrs.  H.  W.  Williams,  Oct.  23,  he  writes : 

"  Your  very  kind  letter,  dated  Sept.  28,  reached  me  some 
ten  days  since ;  but  I  have  been  unable  to  reply  to  it  from 
weakness,  both  bodily  and  mental.    It  is  more  than  six  weeks 
14* 


162  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 

since  I  have  been  confined  to  my  bed.  But  enough  of  these 
bodily  evils.  *  Fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  after 
that,  have  no  more  that  they  can  do.'  I  trust  I  can  heartily 
enter  into  the  spirit  of  that  word  of  cheer.  I  do  not  consider 
my  restoration  to  health  and  usefulness  by  any  means  certain, 
if  I  was  set  free  to-morrow.  But  I  am  anxious,  while  I  have 
any  vigor  of  body  and  mind,  to  give  slavery  as  many  blows 
as  I  can.  *  * 

"  I  find  the  road  to  Jesus  shorter  from  the  floor  of  a  prison, 
than  it  was  last  summer  from  your  comfortable  parlor.  So  I 
read,  and  pray,  and  sing  with  a  feeble  voice, 

"  Burst,  ye  emerald  gates,  and  bring 
To  my  enraptured  vision  !" 

Get  the  hymn-book  and  sing  the  whole  of  that  sweet  song." 
I  find  peace,  such  as  I  have  not  known  for  years;  so  there 
is  no  sorrow  without  its  joy.     When  the  sun  is  dark  without, 
the  Son  shines  within,  and  there  is  no  night  where  He  is. 
********** 
You  see  I  ramble  about,  and  have  little  else  steady  but  the 
heart,  which  is  fixed,  trusting  in  God." 
Yours,  with  respect, 

CHARLES  T.  TORRE  Y." 

It  was  stated  in  an  extract  above,  from  a  preceding  letter, 
that  after  Johnny  Stewart  was  released,  a  boy  of  seventeen 
years  old  was  placed  in  the  cell  with  Mr.  Torrey  to  take  care 
of  him.  To  this  boy,  Samuel  E.  Davis,  important  allusion  is 
made  in  the  following  letter  to  Horace  Dresser,  counsellor  at 
law,  New  York  city. 

"  Baltimore  Jail,  Nov.  4. 

"  A  fellow-prisoner,  about  to  be  pardoned  out,  has  made  a 
very  important  confession  to  me,  which  may  lead  to  my  de 
liverance  from  this  prison.  It  relates  to  a  combination  of  — 
—  and  certain  other  parties  to  secure  my  conviction,  by 
bribed  and  perjured  evidence. 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  ALDEN.  163 

"  Davis,  who  made  confession  to  me,  said,  he  was  to  have 
two  hundred  dollars  for  making  certain  statements,  and  other 
parties  were  to  be  proportionally  paid.  Southmeade,  alias 
Hatch,  alias  a  dozen  other  names,  is  to  have  two  hundred 
dollars  and  a  nolle  prosequi  in  his  own  case,  to  testify  to  pre 
tended  confessions  made  by  me  to  him,  in  prison !" 

In  a  letter  to  J.  W.  Alden,  upon  the  same  subject,  Mr.  T. 
writes : 


"  Do  you  ask,  Have  I  ever  made  any  confessions  to  him  ? 
I  reply,  No ;  not  in  the  least.  Their  testimony  will  be  en 
tirely  false.  The  only  fact  that  Southmeade  has  to  go  upon 
is,  that  if  we  got  out  of  jail,  we  were  to  meet  in  a  certain 
grave  yard,  and  to  go  on  a  certain  road,  and  to  stop  at  a  cer 
tain  house  about  fifteen  miles  out  of  town. 

"  They  are  to  testify  to  the  route  taken,  as  well  as  the 
identity  of  the  negroes. 

"  Is  there  no  escape  ?  I  much,  very  much  doubt.  Davis, 
who  confessed  to  me,  is  himself  worthless.  Convicted  of  pet 
ty  theft,  Gallagher  got  him  pardoned.  But  it  seems,  from  his 
own  statement,  that  he  will  swear  any  way,  if  paid  for  it. 
His  only  motive  for  confessing  to  me  was,  that  he  had  quar 
relled  with  Southmeade.  He  had  also  agreed  to  testify  to 
confessions  made  by  me  in  prison,  and  Southmeade  and  him 
self  wrote  what  they  would  testify  to  the  State's  attorney." 

How  well  Southmeade  performed  the  part  assigned  him, 
the  sequel  painfully  showed.  Davis,  after  he  was  pardoned, 
was  not  to  be  found.  Perhaps  the  person,  or  persons,  from 
whom  he  was  to  receive  the  two  hundred  dollars,  finding  that 
he  would  not  testify,  induced  him  to  leave  the  city,  that  he 
might  not  be  summoned  against  Southmeade. 


164  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 

THE  TRIAL  ANNOUNCED. 

On  account  of  ill  health,  Mr.  Torrey's  trial  had  been  pre 
viously  deferred  till  February  ;  but  after  the  disclosure  of  the 
above-mentioned  conspiracy,  the  reader  will  not  be  surprised 
to  find  in  the  following  letter,  the  announcement  of  a  more 
speedy  trial. 

"  Baltimore  Jail,  Md.,  Nov.  21, 1844. 

"  My  dear  Alden, — Father  Ide  has  written  you  to  apprize 
you  of  the  sudden  change  of  tactics  in  my  prosecutors.  Now 
my  trial  is  to  be  hurried  on,  as  fast  as  possible,  before  I  have 
time  to  overthrow  the  new  devices  of  the  enemy  against  me. 
A  letter  received  to-night,  disposes  of  one  of  their  last  wit 
nesses,  showing  him  to  be  a  graduate  of  Sing  Sing,  where  he 
took  a  degree  of  H.  T.  (horse  thief.)  But  that  will  not  be 
enough  ;  and  before  your  next  weekly  issue,  I  shall  probably 
be  beyond  the  reach  of  succor,  and  deprived  of  all  intercourse 
with  my  friends  for  many  years.  Had  the  steps  been  taken 
to  place  the  matter  before  the  Supreme  Court,  I  should  have 
cared  less.  I  am  somewhat  used  to  suffering.  But  to  suffer 
uselessly,  comes  a  little  hard. 

"  I  never  saw  the  paper  containing  the  list  of  persons  who 
contributed  to  my  relief,  and  I  know  but  few  of  them.  But 
to  one  and  all  of  them,  I  beg  leave  to  express  my  heartfelt 
gratitude  for  their  kindness  to  me.  God  will  reward  them 
ten-fold  in  their  own  bosoms,  though  I  cannot.  They  who 
give  a  cup  of  cold  water,  in  the  name  of  my  blessed  Savior, 
to  the  least  of  his  children,  will  not  lose  their  reward  in  this 
life  or  in  the  life  to  come ;  to  which  this  is  the  introductory 
stage,  the  portico,  the  adytum.  Heaven  is  only  the  upper 
room  of  our  dwelling  place,  and  its  rewards  are  just  as  near, 
just  as  sure. 

"  In  settling  up  my  accounts,  I  may  be  obliged,  notwith 
standing  Mr.  Johnson's  liberal  refusal  of  any  further  fee,  (of 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  ALDEN.  165 

which  I  was  not  apprised  till  yesterday,)  to  draw  on  you  for 
a  small  sura,  which  I  trust  you  will  meet.  I  know  various 
persons  have  in  hand  for  me  more  than  I  shall  want,  though 
they  are  widely  scattered. 

"  I  shall  try  to  reply  to  Scoble  this  week ;  and  also  to  pre 
pare  a  DEFENCE,  that  will  serve  at  least  for  a  parting  salute 
to  slavery. 

"As  no  further  effort  can  be  made,  this  opportunity  hav 
ing  passed  away,  to  place  my  Virginia  case  before  the  Su 
preme  Court  till  my  imprisonment  here  (if  I  am  convicted) 
shall  end ;  and,  as  I  shall  then,  to  all  practical  purposes,  be 
forgotten  by  those  who  head  the  abolition  movement,  who 
will  be  absorbed  in  duties  and  cares,  ever  new,  ever  increas 
ing,  I  suppose  I  must  prepare  my  mind  and  heart  for  a  long 
continued  bondage  here  and  in  Virginia.  When  the  slaves' 
chains  are  broken,  mine  may  be ;  but  probably  not  before. 
In  the  circle  of  those  who  know  and  love  me,  my  prison  will 
supply  at  least  an  additional  impulse  to  labor  for  the  day  of 
redemption  for  the  suffering  poor. 

"I  judge,  from  what  my  wife  says,  that  the  tale  in  regard 
to  my  alleged  *  second  attempt'  to  escape,  is  not  understood 
by  my  friends.  When  my  clothing,  etc.,  were  restored  to  me 
some  time  in  September,  two  saws  were  placed  in  my  razor- 
case,  by  one  of  the  keepers,  as  a  trap.  After  advising  with 
my  counsel,  I  called  in  the  warden,  and  handed  them  to  him. 
Some  one  of  the  subordinates,  to  stir  up  popular  opinion  against 
me,  as  a  '  most  desperate  fellow,'  had  a  tale  of  a  (  second  at 
tempt  to  escape'  put  in  several  of  the  Baltimore  papers.  I 
sent  a  letter  to  the  American,  exposing  the  hoax,  which  was 
but  partially  inserted.  This  is  the  whole  truth,  so  far  as  I 
know.  If  there  are  any  wrong  impressions  about  it  among 
my  friends,  publish  this  statement.  At  the  time  of  this  alleged 
*  second  attempt,'  I  was  too  feeble  to  cross  the  cell  without 
the  help  of  my  fellow  prisoner ! 

"  I  may  as  well  improve  this  occasion  to  add  a  few 


166  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

ILLUSTRATIONS    OF   MARYLAND    SLAVERY  AND 
SLAVE  JAILS. 

"  Your  readers,  in  years  past,  will  not  fail  to  recal  the 
atrocious  colonization  laws  of  this  State ;  laws  almost  perfectly 
nullified  by  the  voice  of  public  sentiment.  Now  and  then, 
men  greedy  of  gain  will  enforce  them.  A  colored  man,  poor, 
free,  of  good  character,  belonging  in  Frederick  county,  Md., 
went  into  Pennsylvania  with  a  drove  of  cattle,  and  was  gone 
more  than  the  legal  twenty  days.  On  his  return,  two  miscre 
ants,  utterly  worthless  in  purse  and  character,  but  with  whit 
ish  faces,  complained  of  him,  got  him  in  jail,  and  in  various 
ways  contrived  to  run  up  the  bill  of  fine  and  costs  to  over  $70. 
For  this  he  was  sold  as  a  slave  for  life,  purchased  by  a  slave- 
trader  in  this  city,  (Slatter,  I  think,)  and  sent  to  the  far  South. 
It  was  this  summer. 

"  Another  case :  A  certain  Dr.  D s,  of  Howard  district, 

sent  to  this  jail  an  old  black  man,  his  wife,  a  light  mulatto 
woman,  and  her  four  little  children,  all  whiter  than  their 
mother !  Two  of  them,  the  woman  said,  were  her  master's. 
The  husband  said  they  all  were.  No  doubt  of  it.  They 
have  since  been  sold  to  the  slave-traders.  Such  occurrences 
are  by  no  means  unusual  here.  Yet  the  CHRISTIANS  of  Bal 
timore  never  know  anything  about  them,  when  you  ask ;  in 
truth,  it  would  be  incredible  news  to  nine-tenths  of  the  better 
sort  of  people  of  this  city,  that  from  two  to  four  thousand 
slaves  are  every  year  sold,  in  their  midst,  including  at  least 
five  hundred  members  of  the  body  of  Christ,  humble,  prayer 
ful,  ignorant,  but  sincere  Christians.  Such  topics  they  do  not 
inquire  into.  '  The  righteous  perisheth  and  no  man'  of  them 
'layeth  it  to  heart.'  Why?  The  victims  are  poor,  black,  or 
'yellow,'  and  AMERICAN  SLAVES  ;  victims  of  the  great  Amer 
ican  slave  trade.  But  it  is  perfect  folly  to  rebuke  the  slave 
t  rade.  The  trader  is  the  mere  agent  of  the  slaveholder.  The 
GREAT  CRIME  is  to  hold  a  man  in  slavery. 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  ALDEN.  167 

"  Items  of  a  different  class : — It  is  very  common  here  for 
the  police,  and  other  slave  hunting  knaves,  to  play  tricks  on 
slave  holders.  I  will  give  you  a  few  samples.  One  police 
firm  has  in  pay,  over  twenty  colored  spies  here,  besides  oth 
ers  in  Philadelphia  and  elsewhere.  Their  business  is  to  in 
veigle  slaves  to  run  away,  hide  them  up,  and  betray  them. — 
When  the  master  misses  his  slave,  he  soon  advertises  his 
$100  reward ;  often  he  applies  to  this  very  police  firm  for 
aid  !  In  a  few  days  they  are  ready,  of  course,  to  hand  over 
the  poor  victim  of  their  arts,  and  pocket  the  reward,  besides 
getting  praise  as  very  vigilant  officers  !  They  once  had  in 
their  pay  an  active  member  of  a  northern  vigilance  commit 
tee,  who  is  well  known  to  me.  He  is  not  now  on  the  com 
mittee. 

"  Another  trick  is  somewhat  similar.  The  colored  people, 
for  ten  miles  round,  are  induced  to  come  to  Baltimore,  on  the 
Sabbath,  to  see  their  friends,  and  attend  church.  The  constable, 
desirous  of  raising  the  wind,  finds  one  without  a  pass,  puts 
him  in  jail,  or  some  place  of  confinement — sometimes  one 
of  the  slave  prisons — says  nothing  about  it  till  the  master  of 
fers  his  reward  ;  and  then  Mr.  Constable  coolly  pockets  the 
reward  of  his  knavery.  Besides,  the  slave,  as  a  suspected 
runaway,  is  commonly  sold  to  the  traders  at  a  low  price,  and 
the  trader,  out  of  pure  gratitude  (!)  gives  the  officer  another 
fee.  I  defeated  one  such  precious  scheme  since  my  impris 
onment,  by  writing  to  the  slaveholder — a  humane  man — and 
thus  saved  a  pious  slave  from  being  torn  from  his  family  for 
life.  I  got  two  enemies  by  it. 

"  Another  trick  is  managed  by  the  connivance  of  the  jail 
keepers.  A  runaway  is  put  in  jail,  and  the  keepers,  for  a 
specified  fee,  ($5,00,)  give  exclusive  notice  to  a  particular  tra 
der  of  the  fact.  This  gives  the  trader  a  chance  to  negotiate 
with  the  master,  at  a  distance,  and  get  his  slave  at  half  price, 
buying  him  '  on  the  wing.'  This  has  often  been  done  this 
summer.  One  of  the  visitors  of  the  jail,  to  whom  I  mentioned 


I 

168  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE  Y. 

it,  defended   it    as  a   customary   perquisite  of   the   prison 
officers. 

"  Another  l  perquisite'  of  these  gentry,  is  twenty  per  cent, 
of  the  fees  for  all  the  cases  they  are  able  to  give  a  lawyer, 
with  whom  a  bargain  is  previously  made.  Of  course,  none 
but  a  very  inferior  lawyer  would  degrade  himself  by  making 
such  a  bargain.  This  summer,  a  very  amusing  quarrel  took 
place  between  our  keepers  and  their  legal  coadjutor,  as  to  the 
honesty  of  the  latter  in  paying  over  the  proper  share  of  the 
fees  !  They  tried  to  drive  a  bargain  with  another — one  of 
my  friends — but  received  no  countenance  from  him.  You 
see  the  art  of  *  sponging'  is  not  altogether  to  be  classed 
among  the  '  lost  arts'  of  a  primeval  world. 

"  These  hungry  animals  are  very  ready  to  plunder  the 
slaveholder  ;  they  do  it  often,  of  course ;  they  will  not  scru 
ple  to  do  the  like  with  the  free  colored  man,  and  others  of  the 
more  defenceless  classes.  I  believe  I  owe  not  a  little  of  the 
brutality  and  vile  reports  of  which  I  have  been  the  object,  to 
the  vengeance  of  parties  whom  I  disappointed  of  such  profits 
since  my  imprisonment.  I  am  not  sorry  for  any  thing  of  that 
kind  I  have  done.  God  did  not  endow  me  with  the  capacity 
of  sitting  still  and  seeing  the  poor  trampled  on,  and  knavery 
prospering  on  their  woes.  Otherwise,  I  should  have  pursued 
the  career  of  profitable  conservatism,  to  which  Dr.  Woods 
tried  so  hard  to  allure  me  !  That  I  should  have  pleased 
God  by  so  doing,  I  may  well  doubt.  Farewell ;  let  the  slave 
be  always  in  your  heart,  and  do  not  quite  forget,  in  my  pris 
on,  your  brother, 

CHARLES  T.  TORRE  r. 

To  his  friend,  J.  M.  McKim,  of  Philadelphia,  he  also 
writes,  in  view  of  his  approaching  trial : 

"  My  Dear  McKim, — Yours,  dated  October  30,  and  mail 
ed  November  16,  reached  me  to-day.  To-morrow  I  am  to 


LETTER  TO  J.  M.  MC'imi.  169 

be  carted  over  to  Court  for  trial.  My  trial  will  not,  I  sup 
pose,  be  urged  before  Friday,  possibly,  not  till  Monday  next. 
But  it  is  probable  this  is  the  last  letter  you  will  receive  from 
me  for  years.  So  strong  is  the  web  of  perjury  around  me, 
that  I  have  no  real  hope  of  acquittal,  especially  as  the  trial  is 
to  be  suddenly  pushed  on,  after  a  formal  agreement  once 
made  to  defer  it  till  next  term. 

"  I  will  thank  you  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  for  me,  of 
the  six  dollars  you  enclosed,  from  the  friends  whom  I  never 
saw,  but  to  whom  I  am  grateful  for  their  kindness.  My  im 
prisonment  in  the  Penitentiary  will  entirely  prevent  the  trial 
before  the  Supreme  Court.  I  consider,  therefore,  that  nearly 
every  useful  purpose  of  my  imprisonment,  to  the  cause,  is 
lost.  I  know  there  will  be  *  indignation'  meetings,  speeches, 
and  resolves ;  that  my  name,  for  a  while,  will  give  point  to 
now  and  then  an  eloquent  sentence.  But,  as  to  any  serious 
effort  for  my  relief,  it  will  be  like  '  Big  Ben,'  in  Bucks  coun 
ty.  When  the  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  to  rescue  him, 
were  wanted,  he  was  discovered  to  be  a  bad  man.*  He  was 
good  food  for  agitation,  but  no  object  of  practical  benevo 
lence.  Don't  say  I  am  unjust,  or  bitter  :  I  am  neither.  But 
I  estimate  human  nature  as  it  is.  It  is  true,  I  have  many, 
MANY  friends.  I  have  slanderers,  I  have  enemies  enough, 
but,  go  where  you  will,  where  I  am  known,  and  you  will  find 
some  of  the  very  best  men  and  women  in  the  world,  who  are 
warmly  attached  to  me.  I  thank  God  for  it ;  and  their  prayers 
may  secure  me  an  abundant  supply  of  the  spirit  of  Jesus 
Christ  in  my  prison.  Still,  I  expect  to  be  forgotten  by  most 
persons.  Even  those  who  love  me  will  be  absorbed  in  new 
cares,  new  duties. 

"  Happily,  God  is  multiplying  similar  cases  to  such  an  ex 
tent  that  Abolitionists  will  not  be  able  to  refuse  any  longer, 
to  discusser  embrace  better  principles  on  the  points  involved, 

*  Our  friend  does  not  seem  to  know  that  "  Big  Ben"  was  redeemed : 
six  hundred  dollars  were  paid  for  him.— J.  M.  McKim. 
15 


170  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

than  those  now  current  among  the  mass  of  them.  They  must 
learn  the  DUTY  of  making  wise  plans,  and  executing  them 
for  the  personal  rescue  of  the  poor  of  the  land  from  bondage  ; 
just  as  we  would  do  if  our  own  family  relatives  were  the 
bondsmen.  I  intended  to  write  something  on  this  subject, 
for  the  press,  but  I  shall  not  have  time  now.  Perhaps  I  shall 
make  out  a  sketch  before  I  close. 

"  My  bodily  health  is  better.  I  sleep  pretty  well,  have  a 
good  appetite,  and  digest  light  food  well.  My  neuralgia,  how 
ever,  continues,  with  frequent  and  severe  pain.  My  strength 
is  increasing,  slowly,  though  a  very  little  exertion  sends  me 
to  bed.  With  your  arm,  perhaps  I  could  walk  from  No.  31, 
to  Chesnut  street,  if  I  had  the  chance  !  I  am  afraid  Mary 
land  will  not  make  money  by  my  weaving  silk,  for  a  long  while 
to  come ! 

"  At  all  events,  my  physical  comforts  will  not  be  diminish 
ed  by  the  change  to  the  Penitentiary.  Ah — the  'reformed* 
system  of  prison  discipline,  with  its  horrible  secret  scourg- 
ings,  shower  baths,  and  six  days  starvings,  (which  no  man 
wholly  escapes) — these  ARE  charming  prospects  ahead  !  I 
tell  you,  McKim,  more  than  one-third  of  those  who  are  in 
our  reformed  prisons  two  years  and  more,  leave  them  so  im 
paired  in  both  bodily  and  mental  health,  as  to  be  but  one  short 
remove  from  imbecility  of  mind  and  actual  sickness  of  body. 
It  is  only  by  frequent  pardons  that  the  per  centage  of  insanity 
and  death  in  these  *  reformed'  prisons,  is  kept  so  low  as  it  ap 
pears  in  the  reports.  The  silence,  the  enforced  mental  in 
action,  the  prevention  of  all  activity  of  the  affections,  the  so 
cial  nature  ;  these  directly,  and  powerfully,  tend  to  overthrow 
the  mind,  to  make  it  imbecile — while  the  physical  cruelties 
are  enough  to  break  down  any  nervous  or  feeble  frame.  I 
have  been  gradually  gathering  facts  on  that  subject  for  years, 
and  did  hope,  this  winter,  to  prepare  an  elaborate  essay  on  it, 
for  the  press.  What  a  host  of  intentions  a  prison  shuts  up  ! 

"  Am  I  happy  ?     Yes,  on  the  whole — these  ten  days  my 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORREY.  171 

dear  wife  has  cheered  my  poor  cell  with  her  smiles — for  she 
will  not  let  me  see  her  shed  any  tears,  lest  it  make  me  un 
happy.  Nor  will  she  speak  save  cheerfully.  l  The  woman 
is  THE  GLORY  of  the  man/  But,  in  prospect  of  being 
shut  out  from  all  the  world,  from  all  society,  lam  not  unhap 
py — for  the  presence  and  spirit  of  our  blessed  Saviour  are 
not  withheld  from  me.  The  most  painful  emotions  I  feel  in 
regard  to  it,  are,  that  I  am  to  be  condemned  to  a  tiseless  ex 
istence  ;  no  activity  for  the  good  of  others  or  my  own.  I 
shall  be  thirty-one  years  old,  the  day  after  the  morrow,  the 
21st.  The  most  useful  part  of  life  I  must  spend  in  prison. 
But  God  did  not  need  me,  in  His  service,  in  freedom,  and 
therefore  it  is  I  am  in  prison.  When  Peter  was  wanted,  the 
angel  came  and  opened  his  prison  doors ;  but  when  he  had 
done  his  work,  he  was  not  rescued  from  the  cross.  Perhaps 
God  will  yet  make  my  prison  the  day-star  of  hope  to  the 
slaves  of  Maryland  and  Virginia.  I  shall  not  be  very  unhap 
py  in  solitude — that  most  awful  of  all  solitudes,  compulsory 
silence  from  year  to  year — so  long  as  God  gives  me  his  love 
and  his  spirit.  Those  who  are  free  must  labor  the  more  dili 
gently  for  the  suffering  slave/' 


CHAPTER    XI. 

TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORREY. CONVICTION. 

Mr.  Torrey  was  taken  from  the  jail  in  Baltimore  and  con 
ducted  to  the  court-house  for  trial,  Nov.  29,  1844.  Reverdy 
Johnson,  Esq.,  undertook  the  defence  of  Mr.  Torrey  ;  but  we 
must  say  that  he  appeared  far  more  anxious  to  defend  Mary 
land,  than  to  obtain  a  good  deliverance  for  Mr.  Torrey. 

While  awaiting  his  trial  at  the  court-house,  expecting 
every  moment  to  be  arraigned,  a  cordial  was  administered  to 


172  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

his  agitated  feelings  by  the  perusal  of  a  letter  from  Prof.  C. 
D.  Cleveland,  Philadelphia,  which  was  handed  to  him  while 
there,  informing  Mr.  Torrey,  that  he  had  written  to  several 
persons  of  his  acquaintance,  men  of  influence,  urging  them  to 
do  all  in  their  power  to  secure  for  Mr.  T.  a  fair  and  impartial 
trial. 

"I  wrote,"  says  Prof.  Cleveland,  "to  my  honored  kins 
man,  Mrs.  Cleveland's  uncle,  Judge  Nisbet,  not  knowing  that 
the  case  would  come  before  him.  I  also  wrote  to  my  former 
beloved  pupil,  George  "W.  Brown,  Esq.,  of  whom  I  am  truly 
proud,  not  only  for  his  talents  but  his  high  moral  worth  ;  and 
to  my  early  and  richly  prized  friend,  Hon.  Charles  F.  Mayer. 
From  both  I  received  the  kindest  replies — replies  worthy  of 
their  heads  and  hearts,  showing  that  they  were  men,  and  felt 
for  their  brother  man,  and  stood  ready  to  do  whatever  ser 
vice  they  could. 

"  I  wrote  also  to  Rev.  John  Duncan,  and  to  Rev.  George 
W.  Burnap,  quoting  to  them  the  words  of  our  blessed  Savior  : 
*  I  was  sick,  and  in  prison,  and  ye  visited  me.'  From  them 
I  have  received  no  answer,  nor  do  I  know  whether  they  have 
ever  complied  with  my  request.  If  not,  I  can  only  pray,  that 
if  ever,  in  the  providence  of  God,  they  shall  be  brought  to 
such  extremity,  they  may  have  some  pious  brother  to  visit 
them  and  administer  consolation. 

********** 
Your  friend  and  brother, 

C.  D.  CLEVELAND." 

Such  a  letter,  and  at  a  time  too  when  he  was  fearing  an 
unfair  trial,  could  not  fail  to  revive  his  drooping  spirits. 

Whether  Mr.  Torrey's  fears,  lest  he  should  become  the 
victim  of  perjured  evidence,  were  groundless  or  not,  may  be 
seen  by  a  perusal  of  the  report  of  the  trial.  We  give  the  re 
port  contained  in  the  Baltimore  Sun,  which  is  more  correct 
than  that  of  the  other  papers,  though  none  of  them  are  per 
fectly  accurate. 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORREY.  173 

TRIAL  OF  REV,  C.  T,  TORREY, 

BALTIMORE  CITY  COURT— OCTOBER  TERM. 

Present,  Judges  Brice,  Nislxt  and  Worthington^ 
STATE'S  ATTORNEY,  GEO.  R.  RICHARDSON,  ESQ. 

Friday,  Nov.  29tk. 

The  case  of  the  State  v.  Torrey,  being  called,  the  Clerk  pro 
ceeded  to  empanel  a  jury,  when  some  discussion  took  place 
on  the  right  of  challenge,  the  counsel  for  the  State  contending 
for  the  right  to  strike  or  challenge  from  the  jurors,  and  the  coun 
sel  for  the  defence  demanding  the  privilege  to  challenge  twenty, 
and  denying  the  State's  right  to  challenge  at  all.  The  question 
was  discussed  at  some  length,  when  the  court  decided  that  the 
State  had  the  right  to  challenge  four  jurors  who  might  be  se 
lected  by  the  defence,  and  the  defence  had  the  -right  of  peremp 
tory  of  twenty.  The  regular  panel  was  then  called,  and  ex 
hausted  by  peremptory  challenge  or  for  cause,  before  a  jury 
could  be  obtained  ;  a  number  of  talesmen  were  summoned,  and 
a  jury  at  length  selected  and  sworn,  as  follows :  H.  D.  Boone, 
Allen  Elder,  William  Young,  William  Ensor,  Thomas  McCon- 
nell,  William  Johnson,  William  Faiichild,  John  Bratt,  J.  A.  Bos- 
ley,  L.  E.  Pontier,  George  Brown,  Elisha  Lee. 

State  v.  Charles  T.  Torrey. — In  opening  the  case,  Mr.  Richard 
son  stated  that  he  held  in  his  hand  three  indictments  against  the 
traverser,  charging  him  with  having  enticed,  persuaded  and  as 
sisted  three  slaves,  the  property  of  Mr.  Wm.  lleckrotte,  to  escape 
from  his  possession.  The  first  of  these  indictments  charges  the 
offence  with  reference  to  a  negro  woman  named  Hannah  Goose 
berry  ;  a  negro  girl  named  Judah  Gooseberry ;  and  a  negro  boy 
named  Stephen  Gooseberry.  Each  of  the  indictments  contain 
four  counts.  The  first  charging  the  traverser  with  having  en 
ticed  the  party  to  escape  ;  the  second  with  having  persuaded 
the  party  to  escape ;  the  third  with  having  assisted  the  party  to 
escape;  and  the  fourth  embracing  the  other  three,  charges  him 
with  having-  enticed,  persuaded,  and  assisted  the  party  to  escape. 
Each  of  the  indictments  were  exactly  alike,  with  the  exception 
of  the  names  of  the  negroes.  The  woman,  Hannah  Gooseberry, 
was  about  forty  years  of  age  ;  the  girl,  Judah,  the  daughter  of 
Hannah,  was  about  nineteen  years  of  age  ;  and  the  boy  Stephen, 


174  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

was  about  seventeen  years  of  age.     The  girl  and  boy  being  the 
son  and  daughter  of  Hannah  Gooseberry. 

Mr.  Richardson  opened  the  case  with  a  plain  statement  of  the 
facts  lie  expected  to  prove,  and  then  proceeded  to  call  the  wit 
nesses. 

Mr.  Heckrotte,  sworn. — Is  the  owner  of  three  slaves,  one  wo 
man  named  Hannah  Gooseberry,  about  forty  years  of  age,  stout, 
good  countenance,  with  a  tooth  out  in  front ;  she  is  not  a  black 
woman,  but  a  sort  of  chestnut  color,  rather  stout  and  fleshy  ;  is 
the  owner  of  a  girl  named  Judah,  the  daughter  of  Hannah  ;  she 
is  a  stout,  well  proportioned  girl  of  a  dark  color,  and  something 
of  the  build  of  her  mother;  and  a  boy  named  Stephen,  who  is 
about  sixteen ;  rather  stout  made ;  he  was  dressed  in  a  dark 
brown  cassinet  jacket  and  pantaloons,  striped  shirt,  and  thick 
shoes;  the  other  had  a  variety  of  clothing,  some  black  dresses 
which  I  bought  for  them  when  their  mistress  died,  and  they  had 
some  fancy  dresses  which  I  cannot  now  describe  ;  they  were 
first  absented  on  the  4th  of  June,  between  eight  and  nine  o'clock, 
after  they  took  their  suppers.  I  have  never  seen  them  since  ; 
of  my  own  knowledge,  I  know  nothing  of  them  since.  They 
were  good,  excellent  servants,  honest  and  without  fault ;  I  have 
advertised  them  and  have  invited  them  back,  but  they  have  not 
returned. 

I  keep  a  tavern  and  refectory ;  Bologna  sausages,  crackers 
and  cheese  are  freely  exposed  in  the  house  ;  they  have  always 
been  at  the  command  of  the  servants.  Have  been  dealing  with 
Mr.  Henry  Henderson  ever  since  he  commenced  business,  I  be 
lieve  about  twenty  years,  until  he  quit  business  and  sold  out  to 
Mr.  Tyler,  which  is  since  the  servants  went  away,  I  believe  ; 
I  then  dealt  with  Mr.  Holden,  his  clerk;  I  have  still  in  use  the 
crackers  of  Mr.  Henderson. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Johnson. — There  are,  I  presume,  a 
number  of  other  places  in  town  where  Bologna  sausages  and 
crackers  of  the  same  kind  are  used  ;  the  crackers  I  afterwards 
bought  of  Holden  were  marked  with  the  name  of  Holden  &  Co. 
I  think  it  was  since  the  absenting  of  the  slaves,  that  Mr.  Hender 
son  sold  out. 

Charles  Hockrotte,  sworn. — Between  9  and  10  o'clock  at  night, 
in  the  latter  part  of  May,  about  four  or  five  days  before  the 
slaves  went  away,  I  saw  a  white  man  standing  at  the  gate  of 
our  yard,  talking  to  Judah  Gooseberry;  the  white  n.an  looked 
at  me  rather  suspiciously,  and  went  away,  and  Judah  went  in  ; 
when  I  went  in  the  house,  Judah  was'nt  there  ;  when  I  went  in 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORREY.  175 

the  yard  Judah  came  out  of  the  shed  ;  I  asked  her  who  it  was 
she  had  been  talking  to.  When  I  first  saw  the  man  I  thought  it 
was  my  brother-in-law,  but  upon  going  nearer  to  him,  I  saw  it 
was  not ;  I  think  this,  pointing  to  the  traverser,  is  the  man  ;  he 
is  thinner  now  than  he  was  then,  and  his  whiskers  are  off;  at 
the  magistrate's  office  I  picked  him  out ;  I  was  told  to  look 
round ;  there  were  about  twenty  or  thirty  people  there.  The 
man  went  away  up  street,  as  I  came  down  to  the  gate. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Gallagher. — I  swear  positively  to  the 
best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief,  this  is  the  man  ;  did  not  say 
at  the  magistrate's  that  1  could  not  swear  positively  to  him. 

By  Mr.  Johnson. — Have  never  noticed  him  in  the  street ;  the 
gate  of  the  yard  is  on  Camden  street ;  Judah  ran  in  as  soon  as 
she  saw  me ;  she  did'nt  see  me  till  I  turned  towards  the  gate, 
and  the  man  then  turned  away  up  the  street ;     he  had  on  light 
pantaloons  and  light  coat;  I  think  he  had  a  cap  on;  I  did  not 
speak  to  him  ;  when  I  went  into  the  house,  I  did  not  say  any 
thing  to  my  father  about  it ;  I  thought  the  man  had  other  inten 
tions  than  to  persuade  the  servants  away  ;  I  told  my  father  the 
night  after  they  went  away,  that  I  thought  that  man  had  got  them 
away;  I  had  never  seen  a  white  man  there  under  those  circum 
stances  before  ;  I  have  seen  black  men  there ;  the   moon  was 
not  shining;    it  was  a  star  light  night.     Before  the  magistrate,  I 
swore  that  I  positively  believed  Mr.  Torrey  to  be  the  man ;  I 
did  not  swear  that  he  positively  was  the  man.  He  was  dressed 
then  in  dark  coat  and  had  a  hat  on ;  he  was  dressed  entirely 
different,  of  course.     From  the  time  I  saw  the  man  at  the  gate 
talking  to  Judah,  I  never  saw  Mr.  Torrey  till  I  saw  him  at  the 
magistrate's  ;  between  these  times  I  suppose  two  or  three  weeks 
had  elapsed.   I  suppose  I  saw  him  about  two  or  three  minutes  at 
the  gate ;  when  I  went  to  the  magistrate's  office,  I  knew  there 
was  a  man  there  charged  with  getting   the  slaves  away ;  1  told 
father  what  his  stature  and  appearance  was  ;  I  picked  him  out 
by  his  stature  and  face,  and  his  dark  hair;  when  I  went  into  the 
house  I  saw  Judah's  mother;  I  asked  her  who  it  was  Judah  had 
been  talking  to  ;  the  gate  was  on  Camden  street;  I  was  coming 
down  the  street,  and  he  turned   up ;  I  suppose  that  Judah  told 
him  some  one  was  corning,  and  he  then  walked  up  the  street; 
if  he  had  turned  down  the  street  I  should  not  have  been  able  to 
have  seen  him  so  well  ;  I  should  not  have  seen  his  face  at  all. 

By  Mr.  Cox. — I  do  not  remember  to  have  seen  you  at  the 
magistrate's  office ;  I  don't  recollect  to  have  seen  Mr.  Torrey, 
and  to  have  been  asked  if  he  was  not  the  man  ;  I  said  it  was  a 


176  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 

dark  night,  and  said  I  meant  by  that,  that  it  was  a  star  light  night ; 
I  don't  remember  to  have  said  there  that  I  could  not  identify 
the  man. 

Nicholas  Woodward,  sworn. — I  let  a  pair  of  cream-colored 
horses,  with  white  manes  and  white  tails,  and  a  Rockaway  car 
nage,  to  Mr.  Torrey,  on  Tuesday,  the  4th  June  ;  he  brought 
them  back  on  the  next  Sunday,  very  much  fatigued ;  there  was 
no  driver  sent  with  them  ;  they  were  so  much  fatigued  that  one 
of  them  died  soon  afterwards.  He  applied  to  me  once  before, 
and  I  let  him  have  a  carriage  and  a  single  horse,  for  some  time ; 
I  did  not  know  any  thing  of  him  personally.  When  he  came 
again  I  knew  him  ;  I  told  him  that  the  horse  he  had  before  had 
been  driven  very  hard ;  I  then  gave  him  a  pair  of  dun  ponies 
and  the  same  carriage.  He  engaged  them  for  no  particular  time  ; 
I  asked  him  where  he  was  going,  and  he  would  give  me  no  sat 
isfaction  on  that  point.  The  horses  would  be  easily  recognized, 
from  their  peculiar  color  ;  I  have  one  of  them  now. 

George  W.  Rigdon,  sworn. — On  the  morning  of  the  7th  June 
last,  early,  perhaps  between  5  and  6  o'clock,  I  was  going  to  Mr. 
Clark's,  my  brother-in-law,  over  the  bridge  at  Den  creek,  when 
I  saw  him  standing  in  the  road  ;  a  carriage,  open  before  and  be 
hind,  and  two  dun  colored  horses  standing  in  the  water,  and  a 
black  boy  washing  their  legs;  over  in  the  road  I  saw  a  white 
man  washing  his  hands  in  a  bucket;  1  was  over  them  looking  at 
them  full  ten  minutes,  and  they  did  not  see  me  for  some  time ; 
the  horses  were  dun  color,  with  white  manes  and  tails  ;  thought 
it  would  be  the  death  of  them  washing  them  in  the  state  they 
were ;  that  man  there  ('pointing  to  traverserj  is  the  man,  and  a 
black  boy ;  went  to  Mr.  Clark's,  up  the  road,  and  in  about  a  half 
hour  I  came  back ;  saw  the  horses  eating  on  the  side  of  the 
creek  ;  the  traverser  was  still  there  and  the  boy ;  he  was  a 
light  complected  black  boy,  a  sort  of  brown  or  chestnut ;  he 
wore  steel  mixed  pantaloons  and  roundabout.  I  thought  some 
thing  was  wrong,  and  I  took  particular  notice  of  them  ;  looked 
at  the  man  as  he  turned  round  to  look  at  me ;  this  is  the  same 
man ;  I  was  in  town  the  next  Tuesday  ;  took  some  newspapers 
home,  and  the  next  day  my  brother  was  reading  one  of  them  ; 
he  said  here's  an  advertisement  of  some  negroes  lost,  and  on 
looking  at  it  found  it  described  the  boy  I  had  seen  ;  we  conclu 
ded  we  ought  to  let  the  advertiser  know  of  it ;  wrote  him  a  let 
ter  ;  witness  recognized  the  advertisement  (letter  produced,)  it 
was  written  by  my  brother  ;  this  is  the  letter  ;  when  I  saw  them 
the  second  time  they  were  only  about  twenty  steps  from  the 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORREY.  177 

place  where  they  were  when  I  first  saw  them  ;  1  am  certain  this 
is  the  man  ;  when  I  went  to  the  magistrate's  office,  I  picked  him 
out  directly. 

By  Mr.  Johnson. — The  reason  I  did  not  write  the  letter,  I  was 
fixing  to  go  to  the  Clay  club  ;  I  furnished  the  facts,  and  the  let 
ter  was  read  to  me  afterwards  ;  the  place  where  I  saw  them  is 
about  thirty  miles  from  Baltimore  ;  the  road  is  pretty  good  ;  I 
have  stated  that  I  thought  I  had  seen  the  traverser  before,  at  my 
uncle's,  in  1832,  at  the  time  of  the  cholera  ;  that  person  staid  at 
my  uncle's,  and  went  about  gunning  with  the  negroes  ;  his  gen 
eral  appearance  was  something  the  same  as  the  traverser ;  I  did 
not  get  nearer  to  the  man  at  the  creek  than  the  abutment  of  the 
bridge  ;  about  ten  feet  off;  I  was  about  ten  feet  above  him,  he 
directly  under  me  ;  when  I  saw  him  again  he  was  a  little  farther 
off,  and  was  eating  sausage  and  crackers  ;  he  had  on  a  blue  coat 
and  a  cap  ;  don't  remember  his  other  clothes  ;  I  stood  looking 
at  him  about  five  or  ten  minutes  that  time,  and  when  I  went 
away,  left  them  eating. 

Witness,  to  meet  the  request  of  counsel  for  a  description  of 
the  location,  sketched  a  diagram  of  the  spot ;  it  represented  the 
main  road  alone  as  crossing  the  creek  at  the  point  referred  to ; 
the  bridge  is  on  the  edge  of  the  road,  so  that  persons  can  go 
through  the  ford  or  over  the  bridge. 

Robert  Rigdon,  sworn. — Lives  in  Harfbrd  county,  on  the 
Peachbottom  road  ;  the  other  side  of  Deer  creek  about  a  mile 
and  a  half;  I'm  a  blacksmith  ;  have  a  shop  about  half  a  mile 
from  my  house  up  the  road  ;  on  the  5th  of  June,  in  the  morn 
ing,  I  saw  a  carriage  going  up  with  a  couple  of  dun  horses  and 
white  tails  and  manes;  a  white  man  was  in  it  with  a  black  wo 
man  ;  I  was  in  my  shop  ;  the  carriage  returned  again  in  the 
evening  late,  towards  Baltimore  ;  I  saw  the  carriage  again  on 
the  7th  June  ;  it  had  in  it  a  white  man  and  a  black  boy ;  that  is 
the  white  man,  (the  traverser)  ;  there  were  two  black  women 
in  the  carriage  ;  they  were  going  along  laughing ;  the  old  wo 
man  had  a  tooth  out  in  front ;  the  other  appeared  about  eigh 
teen  or  twenty ;  the  white  man  and  boy  sat  in  front ;  I  did  not 
see  the  carriage  again  ;  the  traverser  is  that  white  man ;  I  pick 
ed  him  out  at  the  magistrate's  office. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Johnson. — It  was  a  little  after  sun 
rise  when  I  saw  them  on  the  5th  ;  my  shop  is,  1  take  it,  about 
twelve  or  fifteen  miles  from  Peachbottom  ;  I  did'nt  pay  any  at 
tention  to  the  black  woman  in  the  carriage  at  the  time  ;  she  was 
sitting  in  the  back  part  of  the  carriage ;  my  shop  is  thirty-two 


178  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

or  thirty-three  miles  from  Baltimore  ;  the  carriage  went  down 
in  the  evening ;  the  black  woman  was  not  in  it  then  ;  my  shop 
is  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  the  ford  at  Clark's ;  I  was  in 
the  road  when  the  carriage  went  up  and  when  it  went  down  on 
the  5th.  The  reason  I  took  more  notice  on  the  7th  of  the  party, 
was  because  I  had  heard  some  flying  reports  about  a  white  man 
carrying  negroes  to  Peachbottom,  and  sending  them  across  ;  I 
heard  of  it  the  day  before  ;  my  father  was  in  the  road  with  me 
on  the  7th  ;  he  spoke  to  the  white  man  in  the  carriage,  some 
thing  about  carrying  off  negroes  ;  I  do  tell  the  jury  that  as  the 
carriage  was  trotting  %,  /  saw  that  the  old  woman  had  a  tooth  out ; 
I  noticed  the  girl's  teeth  ;  did  not  notice  the  boy's ;  the  woman 
had  nothing  over  her  face  ;  the  woman  on  the  5th  had  a  green 
veil  over  her  face ;  the  old  woman  on  the  7th  had  a  veil  on  her 
bonnet,  but  it  was  thrown  aside  ;  my  father  and  Mr.  Raymons 
and  myself  were  standing  together  when  the  carriage  came 
along ;  we  could  see  it  about  thirty  yards  before  it  came  up  to 
us,  and  they  could  of  course  see  us  ;  they  had  nothing  over  their 
faces ;  it  would  be  a  good  day's  journey  from  Baltimore  to  my 
house ;  when  I  saw  the  white  man  on  the  5th  he  had  a  cap  on, 
dark  looking  clothes  ;  on  the  7th  he  was  dressed  the  same  way ; 
when  I  saw  him  at  the  magistrate's  office  he  had  a  hat  on  and 
a  different  kind  of  coat ;  it  was  a  dark  one.  J  think  I  said  at 
the  magistrate's  office,  that  the  old  woman  had  a  tooth  out ;  I 
don't  think  I  was  asked  about  it;  Mr.  Zell  summoned  me  for 
the  State  ;  I  had  seen  no  advertisement  about  the  negroes ;  I 
think  he  told  rne  that  it  was  about  some  negroes  taken  away ; 
rny  brother  told  me  he  was  going  to  write  to  Baltimore  about 
some  negroes  advertised  ;  I  did  not  hear  whose  they  were  ;  I  did 
not  know  that  there  was  such  a  man  as  Mr.  Heckrotte  in  the 
city  of  Baltimore  ;  when  J  got  to  the  magistrate's  office  I  went 
into  another  room  before  1  was  examined  ;  Mr.  Heckrotte  and 
Mr.  Rigdon,  my  uncle,  Mr.  Zell  and  some  others  went  into  the 
room  with  me ;  Mr.  Heckrotte  there  said  something  about  his 
negroes;  he  said  there  were  two  women  and  a  boy  ;  he  said 
nothing  about  their  ages,  or  their  dress,  or  about  one  of  the 
women  having  a  tooth  out ;  my  uncle  George  said  something 
about  them ;  I  don't  recollect  whether  he  said  any  thing  about 
one  of  the  women  having  a  tooth  out  or  not ;  I  don't  recollect 
whether  or  not  I  said  any  thing  to  any  body  about  the  woman 
having  a  tooth  out ;  I  saw  my  uncle  Ben  one  day  when  he  stop 
ped  at  my  shop  and  asked  me  something  about  the  negroes;  I 
don't  know  whether  J  said  any  thing  to  him  about  a  tooth  out ; 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MK.  TORRE T.  179 

he  might  have  have  said  something  about  writing  a  letter,  but  I 
was  so  angry  about  having  to  leave  my  work,  that  I  don't  know 
hardly  what  passed. 

By  Mr.  Cox. — I  was  in  Baltimore  last  Monday ;  I  don't  know 
whether  I  said,  'I  had  come  to  Baltimore  to  help  to  send  that 
d — d  rascal  to  the  penitentiary,'  or  not ;  I  don't  know  that  Mr. 
George  Rigdon  said  so  ;  I  don't  know  whether  I  said  it  or  not ; 
I  say  many  things  in  fun. 

George  Amos,  sworn. — Lives  on  the  Peachbottorn  and  Balti 
more  road,  about  four  miles  above  Deer  creek ;  somewhere 
about  the  first  part  of  last  June  I  saw  an  open  carriage,  four- 
wheeled,  I  think,  with  two  dun-colored  horses  and  white  manes 
and  tails ;  a  white  man,  looked  a  good  deal  like  the  traverser, 
and  dark  brown  boy  sitting  in  front,  about  sixteen  or  seventeen 
years  of  age ;  there  were  two  women  sitting  behind  ;  one  was 
a  young  girl,  a  jet  black  ;  I  saw  the  white  man  before,  about  the 
26th  of  May,  on  the  road,  going  up  in  a  carriage  ;  he  had  a 
black  boy  and  a  yellow  man  with  him  ;  he  had  a  carriage  and 
one  horse  ;  the  next  time  I  saw  him  he  was  going  down  with  a 
carriage  and  two  horses  ;  on  the  next  day  1  saw  him  going  up 
with  the  same  carriage  and  horses,  and  the  two  women  and  boy  ; 
I  think  the  traverser  is  the  man  ;  I  can't  say  positively. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Johnson.- — When  J  saw  him  going  up 
with  the  boy  and  two  women,  the  women  were  sitting  on  the 
back  seat  ;  the  one  I  saw  was  a  young  woman,  jet  black ; 
they  were  travelling  slowly ;  I  did  not  see  the  other  woman's 
face  at  all ;  for  all  I  know,  she  was  white.  I  should  think  it  would 
take  two  days  to  go  from  my  house  to  Baltimore ;  it  is  about 
thirty-five  miles  ;  it  takes  me  a  day  to  come  to  Baltimore.  It 
was  the  second  day  after  I  saw  him  going  up  with  the  two  horses 
that  I  saw  him  come  down  the  road. 

Benjamin  Amos,  sworn. — On  the  5th  June  I  saw  a  carriage 
(described  as  before)  this  side  of  Rockridge,  coming  towards 
Baltimore  ;  it  was  about  a  mile  the  other  side  of  Deer  creek  ; 
the  next  time  I  saw  it  was  on  Friday  the  8th  ;  I  was  with  Mr. 
Samuel  Rigdon  ;  he  said, "  There  comes  the  carriage  again ;  let's 
stop  him."  I  said,  "  We  had  better  not,  for  such  fellows  always 
go  armed."  Mr.  Rigdon  talked  to  him  about  a  black  woman 
that  he  had  taken  up  a  day  or  two  before  ;  there  was  a  black  boy 
and  two  black  women  in  the  carriage  ;  the  white  man  was  a 
small  man,  dressed  in  a  dark  coat,  and  cap  on  ;  I  think  this  is 
the  man  (the  traverser).  It  was  the  same  person  coming  down 
on  the  evening  of  the  5th  that  I  saw  going  up  on  the  morning 


180  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

of  the  7th.  He  had  black  whiskers  then.  The  next  morning, 
Saturday,  he  came  down  with  the  same  horses  and  carriage 
with  him;  he  came  down  on  the  other  road ;  the  road  forks 
above  my  house. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Johnson. — On  the  morning  of  the  7th 
I  was  standing  at  Robert  Rigdon's  shop  ;  Samuel  Itigdon  was 
there  when  the  carriage  came  along ;  the  black  boy  was  pretty 
stout  across  the  shoulders ;  he  had  on  steel  mixed  clothes,  and 
I  don't  know  how  the  women  were  dressed.  They  were  going 
along  at  a  walk ;  the  horses  looked  pretty  hard  drove  ;  they 
did  not  stop  when  Samuel  Rigdon  spoke  to  them ;  I  can't  say 
that  this  (the  traverser)  is  the  man  ;  he  had  heavy  whiskers  then, 
if  he  is  the  man.  If  this  is  the  man,  I  have  not  seen  him  from 
that  time  till  to-day.  I  was  not  before  the  magistrate  ;  was  first 
summoned  yesterday.  I  heard,  when  I  got  here,  that  Torrey 
was  the  man  charged. 

Samuel  Scarf,  sworn. — Lives  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  be 
yond  Deer  creek  ;  on  Saturday  morning,  8th  June.  I  saw  a  man 
with  an  open  carriage  and  two  cream-colored  horses,  come  down 
the  road  ;  the  man  had  on  a  cap,  and  whiskers,  and  dark-colored 
clothes ;  the  traverser  looks  like  him ;  more  like  him  than  any 
man  I've  seen  since. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Johnson. — I  had  never  seen  him  be 
fore  that  day;  nor  since,  till  the  other  day  in  court.  I  did  not 
speak  to  him  ;  he  was  trotting  down  a  hill  when  I  saw  him ;  I 
only  saw  him  just  as  he  passed  along  by ;  when  I  saw  him  in 
court  it  was  in  the  prisoner's  box;  he  came  up  to  the  bars;  I 
thought,  then,  it  was  the  man  ;  I  heard  that  Torrey  was  charged. 

Henry  Bishop. — Keeps  a  tavern  on  the  Bel  Air  road,  ten  miles 
from  Baltimore.  A  gentleman  stopped  at  my  house  all  night, 
who  came  there  on  Saturday  evening,  some  time  in  June  ;  he 
had  a  family  carriage,  open  behind  and  front ;  two  cream-colored 
horses,  flax  rnane  and  tail  ;  this  is  the  man  (the  traverser)  ;  he 
staid  all  night ;  he  had  whiskers  then,  I  think ;  I  have  no  doubt 
this  is  the  man. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Johnson. — I  did  not  see  the  carriage 
go  up  the  road  ;  there  was  no  one  with  him  when  he  came  to 
my  house;  I  do  not  recollect  his  clothes;  he  wore  a  cap;  he 
had  whiskers,  I  think;  not  very  large. 

Ezekiel  Burke,  sworn. — I  went  up  to  Bishop's  some  time  in 
the  first  of  June,  to  see  my  relations,  one  Sunday ;  I  was  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  Bishop's  and  remarked,  "  There's  a 
pair  of  horses  I  drove  last  Sunday  ;  they  are  Woodward's." 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORRE Y.  181 

When  I  got  up  there,  I  saw  that  one  of  them  was  likely  to  fall 
down ;  this  is  the  man  (the  traverser)  who  came  out  and  drove 
them  off.  Before  he  went,  I  said  to  him  he  would  never  drive 
them  to  Baltimore  ;  if  he  did,  he'd  kill  that  horse ;  I  asked  him 
where  he  had  been,  but  he  gave  no  satisfaction. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Johnson. — I  saw  him  next  in  Balti 
more,  at  Mrs.  Kunsrnan's,  in  Old  Town  ;  I  happened  in  there; 
when  I  saw  him  at  Bishop's,  he  said  the  lame  horse  had  stum 
bled  against  a  rock  and  hurt  himself;  he  drove  off,  whipping 
the  horses. 

Samuel  F.  Rigdon,  sworn. — Lives  in  Harford  county,  beyond 
Deer  creek,  on  the  south  side  of  Rockridge  ;  I  saw,  on  the  5th 
of  June,  a  carriage,  open  in  front,  and  two  cream-colored  horses, 
coming  from  Peachbottom  towards  Baltimore  ;  there  was  a  white 
man  driving  it ;  nobody  else  with  him  ;  on  the  7th  saw  the  car 
riage  corning  down  ;  I  was  at  Robert  Rigdon's ;  I  said  we  ought 
to  apprehend  that  fellow,  but  Robert  said  that  most  likely  he 
carried  arms,  and  we  had  better  not  arrest  him  ;  I  said  I'd  give 
him  a  little  of  my  tongue,  anyhow.  When  they  came  opposite 
me,  I  halloes  to  him  and  says,  "  You've  got  a  whole  family  of 
them,  this  time."  They  laughed  and  drove  on  slowly  ;  as  they 
laughed,  the  old  woman  showed  a  tooth  lacking,  on  the  side  of 
Irer  mouth  ;  I  noticed  it  particularly  ;  the  other  woman  and  boy 
were  youngish ;  the  women  had  on  dark  dresses,  and  the  boy 
a  steel-mixed  roundabout ;  the  man  was  dressed  in  dark  clothes  ; 
he  had  whiskers  and  wore  a  cap ;  there  sits  the  gentleman  ; 
he's  the  same  identical  man,  only  he's  got  his  whiskers  off,  and 
had  a  cap  on. 

In  the  same  afternoon,  I  went  down  to  my  brother-in-law's; 
and  going  through  by  the  ford  at  the  bridge,  I  found  a  place 
where  some  creatures  had  been  eating  ofFof  the  face  of  the  earth  ; 
I  mean  horses  or  something  that  eats  oats;  and  a  little  distance 
off,  near  the  wood,  I  found  some  fragments  of  Bologna  sausages 
and  some  crackers  marked  "  II.  H.,"  and  took  them  home  to  a 
little  pet  boy  ;  on  looking  round  me  there  awhile,  I  found  some 
bits  of  ribbon,  and  took  them  home  to  a  little  daughter  I  have ; 
(the  pieces  of  ribbon  produced  by  witness;)  on  Saturday  morn 
ing  I  went  down  to  Clark's,  to  ask  leave  to  cut  a  tree,  to  hive 
some  bees,  and  then  I  saw  the  same  carriage  come  down,  with 
the  white  man  in  it,  empty. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Johnson. — I  found,  near  the  place 
where  the  oats  were,  some  bits  of  crackers,  and  one  whole  one, 
which  I  gave  to  the  child ;  I  have  not  got  half  the  bits  of  ribbon  ; 
16 


182  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

my  little  daughter  would  not  accept  them,  and  then  I  put  them 
in  my  pocket ;  nohody  dares  go  to  my  pockets  without  my  con 
sent;  I  put  them  in  my  pocket  because  I  thought  they  might  do 
for  some  little  use  for  my  rheumatism  in  wet  weather;  I'll  tell 
you,  Mr.  Johnson,  why  I  think  so  much  of  them  little  children  ; 
their  mother,  my  daughter,  gave  them  to  me  on  her  death-bed, 
sir.  When  the  carriage  passed  me  on  Friday,  I  was  on  the  left 
side  of  the  carriage,  the  old  woman  was  on  the  right  side,  and 
when  she  laughed,  I  saw  the  tooth  was  out ;  it  was  out  of  the 
upper  jaw  ;  about  her  eye-tooth  ;  a  little  to  the  left  side  of  the 
front;  the  old  woman  had  a  bonnet  on  and  a  veil  over  it,  not 
over  her  face  ;  they  had  on  a  sort  of  mourning  clothes ;  the 
other  woman  had  a  black  veil  ;  both  appeared  to  be  in  mourn 
ing  for  some  particular  friend  ;  saw  no  baggage  at  all ;  no  man 
could  have  a  better  view  of  the  man  than  I  did  ;  when  he  came 
along  on  Wednesday  evening,  we  were  putting  some  dust  on 
the  bridge  and  levelling  it,  and  I  asked  him  to  stop  lest  his  crea 
tures  should  be  hurt;  and  Sammy  Maccabee  and  my  son  got 
talking  to  him  about  the  crops,  arid  so  forth. 

Mr.  Johnson. — This  was  on  the  5th  ? 

Witness. — No  sir,  it  was  on  the  upper  side  of  Rockridge. 
[A  burst  of  laughter.] 

Resumed. — We  didn't  stop  him  then,  because  it's  rather  an 
awkward  business  to  arrest  a  man.  I  thought  if  I  did,  I  might 
be  sued  for  a  breach  of  trust,  or  something.  I  have  seen  this 
same  man  go  up  and  down  the  road  often,  with  other  horses ; 
I  saw  him  once  last  November;  he  was  dressed  then  in  fall 
clothing  ;  the  color  would  about  pass  for  blue. 

By  Mr.  Cox. — When  I  found  the  ribbon,  it  was  at  the  time 
of  year  when  we  generally  have  pleasant  weather.  I  went  a 
near  cut  through  the  woods  by  a  foot-path.  I  had  on  this  coat 
that  day ;  I  calculated  to  be  out  after  night,  to  take  a  little  spell 
a  fishing. 

By  a  juror. — On  the  7th,  when  I  saw  the  horses,  they  were 
jaded  down. 

By  Mr.  Johnson. — They  were  not  sweating;  they  were  almost, 
got  beyond  a  sweat ;  I  mean  by  that,  that  they  were  so  jaded 
that  they  couldn't  travel  fast  enough  to  sweat. 

Charles  Heckrotte,  sworn. — About  three  or  four  weeks  previ 
ous,  rny  sister  had  trimmed  Judah's  bonnet  with  some  ribbon 
from  her  bonnet ;  I  can  swear  that  these  pieces  are  some  of  the 
same  ribbon ;  there  was  not  quite  enough,  and  another  piece 
almost  like  it  was  got  to  make  it  out.  [Witness  produced  a  piece 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORREY.  183 

whsch,   when  compared,  corresponded  with  a  portion  of  the 
pieces  found.] 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Johnson. — I  believe  Judah  had  more 
than  one  bonnet;  it  was  a  straw  bonnet,  that  had  been  dressed 
in  black  before  this  ribbon  was  put  on.  Her  mother  had  a  straw 
bonnet.  I  took  particular  notice  of  the  ribbon.  [Here  a  rigid 
cross-examination  of  the  witness  was  conducted  by  Mr.  John 
son,  with  reference  to  the  ribbon,  but  without  eliciting  any  im 
portant  fact,  except,  peihaps,  for  the  argument.]  At  its  conclu 
sion,  the  court  adjourned  until  ten  o'clock  to-morrow  morning. 

Saiurdny,  Nov.  30,  1844. 

Mrs.  Morling,  sworn. — Stated  that  some  time  before  the  ser 
vants  of  Mr.  Heckrotte  went  away,  she  trimmed  Judah's  bonnet 
with  some  ribbon  that  had  been  on  her  child's  bonnet;  there 
was  not  quite  enough,  and  she  had  to  take  some  from  another 
piece,  not  exactly  like  the  other ;  a  portion  of  which  she  now 
produced.  It  had  been  taken  from  her  own  bonnet ;  it  was  com 
pared  with  the  pieces  found,  and  corresponded  with  them,  with 
the  exception  of  some  difference  in  the  color  of  a  stripe,  which 
in  that  produced  was  green,  in  the  piece  of  the  same  pattern 
found  was  yellow,  the  suggestion  being  that  it  faded  to  yellow 
from  exposure. 

The  cross-examination  of  the  witness  elicited  nothing  varying 
from  the  examination  in  chief. 

The  State  cabled  Thomas  Southmayd,  who  appeared  upon  the 
staii'l. — Mr.  Johnson  produced  a  record  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  Criminal  Court  of  New  York,  in  proof  that  this  witness  had 
been  convicted  therein  of  horse-stealing,  and  had  served  a  pe 
riod  of  three  years  in  the  penitentiary  for  this  offence ;  a  fact 
which  the  witness  admitted.  Some  discussion  then  took  place 
between  Messrs.  Johnson  and  Richardson  on  the  admissibility 
of  the  evidence  of  this  witness,  which  was  decided  by  the  court 
in  favor  of  it.  The  examination  then  proceeded,  Mr.  Johnson 
first  obtaining  from  Mr.  Metcalfe,  clerk  of  the  court,  two  indict 
ments  against  Southmayd  :  one  for  stealing  a  horse,  and  the 
other  for  stealing  a  sleigh  in  this  city,  and  on  which  he  is  now 
awaiting  his  trial  in  jail. 

Thomas  Southmayd,  sworn. — Had  a  conversation  with  Mr. 
Torrey  in  jail,  about  the  charge  against  him;  he  told  me  about 
it  while  lie  was  trying  to  escape.  He  told  me  he  had  taken  away 
Mr.  Heckrotte*t  slaves,  and  said  he  had  also  taken  away  a  good 
many  slaves  from  Harford  county  ;  he  also  said  he  had  taken  a 
number  of  slaves  from  this  State ;  he  said  he  had  directed  them 


184  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

to  come  to  a  house  at  the  back  of  Greenmount  cemetery,  and 
there  he  would  meet  them  and  take  them  to  Pennsylvania  ;  he 
said  they  had  been  very  faithful  servants ;  he  told  me  that 
there  was  an  old  negro  named  Nick,  near  Greenmount  ceme 
tery,  who  assisted  him ;  he  said  he  had  had  great  difficulty  in 
persuading  the  slaves  of  Mr.  Heckrotte  to  run  away  ;  he  had 
to  persuade  the  old  woman  two  or  three  times;  he  threatened 
to  blow  Mr.  Heckrotte's  brains  out  if  ever  he  got  out;  he  has 
also  threatened  the  keepers'  lives. 

A  letter  was  produced  by  Mr.  Richardson,  which  witness 
identified  as  one  he  sent  to  Mr.  Heckrotte.  The  letter  was  read 
by  Mr.  Richardson,  as  follows: 

Baltimore,  Oct.  1(>, 1844. 

Dear  Sir :  As  you  requested  me  to  give  you  a  statement  in  re 
gard  to  what  Mr.  Torrey  told  me  concerning  your  negroes,  I 
shall  begin  at  the  beginning.  In  speaking  about  the  starting  place, 
he  told  me  that  back  of  Greenmount  cemetery  burying-ground 
was  the  starting  place;  there  is  a  negro  there  that  is  unpleased 
with  him,  which  is  a  blacksmith.  I  have  often  heard  Torrey 
speak  of  him  about  his  being  a  confidential  old  fellow,  that  he 
could  trust  him  with  any  secret;  he  also  told  me  that  he  was 
seen  at  Deer  creek,  a  washing  his  horse  ;  he  also  related  to  me 
about  being  arrested  somewhere  near  Peachbottom,  where  he 
had  a  pair  of  pistols  taken  from  him,  and  kept;  his  pocket-book 
was  taken  from  him  also,  and  given  back  ;  he  also  told  me  that 
he  did  take  three  slaves  from  you  ;  I  recollect  his  telling,  in  par 
ticular,  about  an  old  woman,  as  he  said  you  called  her,  and  two 
others  ;  he  told  me  that  he  had  persuaded  her  two  or  three  times 
before  he  could  get  her  away ;  he  told  me  that  your  slaves  were 
taken  to  Philadelphia  and  sent  from  there  to  New  York  ;  he  also 
told  me  that  he  gave  directions  to  Kemp  and  his  party  which 
way  to  go  ;  Fie  told  me  that  they  went  on  to  New  York  ;  he  also 
told  rne  who  his  agent  was,  but  1  cannot  recollect  exactly  what 
his  name  was,  but  think  his  name  was  Hall  ;  he  also  told  me 
about  taking  eight  or  nine  from  one  man,  but  cannot  recollect  the 
man ;  he  also  told  me  that  he  took  three  slaves  from  one  Mr. 
Patterson  ;  he  told  me  that  he  had  taken  so  many  away  from  this 
State  that  he  could  not  tell  how  many  he  had  taken  ;  he  also 
told  me  that  if  he  got  out  he  would  have  more  out  of  this  State 
than  ever  had  been  taken. 

Mr.  Htckrotle,  Baltimore. 

Cross-examined  by  Mr.  Johnson. — I  came  in  jail  because  the 
constable  put  me  there;  I  was  charged  with  an  offence. 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORREY.  185 

Mr.  Johnson  asked,  what  offence? 

Mr.  Richardson  objected  to  the  question. 

Mr.  Johnson  stated  to  the  court  that  his  object  was  to  show  to 
the  jury,  if  he  could,  that  this  man  expected  to  be  benefited  ac 
cording  to  the  testimony  he  gave  in  this  case,  by  a  pardon. 

Mr.  Richardson  said,  if  that  was  the  object  he  should  with 
draw  his  objection. 

The  defence  was  here  shown  by  the  indictments  against  him. 

Hatch  is  my  true  name  ;  I  have  gone  by  the  name  of  Wilson  ; 
I  had  been  confined  in  the  room  with  Torrey  before  he  attempted 
to  break  out,  better  than  a  month  ;  he  made  this  confession  to  me 
after  he  had  determined  to  escape  ;  before  that,  he  said  nothing 
about  it;  I  think  there  were  eight  in  the  room  altogether;  their 
names,  as  far  as  I  know,  were  Stewart,  Davis,  James  Murphy, 
Robert  Gamble,  Holmes,  Torrey  ;  they  did  not  hear  it ;  he  told  it 
secretly  to  me  ;  lie  did  not  put  confidence  in  the  others  ;  I  did 
not  know  him  before  I  was  in  jail ;  I  suppose  he  knew  what  I 
was  there  for,  by  the  newspapers;  I  don't  know  the  size  of  the 
room  exactly  ;  speaking  as  I  am  speaking  now,  I  could  be  heard 
all  over  the  room;  I  did  not  say  anything  about  it  to  the  other 
prisoners ;  I  didn't  see  proper ;  I  told  it  afterwards  because  cir 
cumstances  alter  cases ;  the  time  hadn't  come  ;  it  has  come  now ; 
I  have  told  it  before,  to  Mr.  Heckrotte ;  I  sent  for  him  when  Tor 
rey  was  going  to  escape  ;  if  there  had  been  a  chance,  I  think  it 
likely  I  should  have  gone  too;  he  did  not  tell  me  till  about  a 
week  or  ten  days  before  the  attempt  to  escape  ;  I  did  not  send 
for  Mr.  Heckrotte  till  that  attempt  was  frustrated ;  I  thought  I 
was  hi  duty  bound  to  tell  Mr.  Heckrotte  then ;  Mr.  Zell  carne 
with  Mr.  Heckrotte;  Mr.  Zell  was  not  in  the  room  when  I  told 
Heckrotte;  I  told  Mr.  Patterson  about  it;  I  was  promised  no 
thing  in  my  own  case  if  I  told  it;  I  did  it  voluntarily;  after  I 
told  Heckrotte,  I  had  some  conversations  with  the  other  priso 
ners  ;  Davis  was  there  and  heard  what  I  told  Heckrotte  ;  I  can't 
tell  what  Torrey's  reasons  were  for  telling  me ;  he  said  he  ex 
pected  to  get  clear  without  difficulty  ;  he  said  the  pistols  were  to 
be  brought  by  his  landlady  ;  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  pistols 
or  powder;  I  assisted  Torrey  to  get  one  man  out,  to  help  him 
out  afterwards  ;  1  gave  my  note  for  $20,  and  Klein  and  Torrey 
gave  him  $30  to  get  out  and  to  go  Holmes'  security,  who  was  to 
help  Torrey  out ;  I  did  not  sign  the  note  I  sent  to  Mr.  Heckrotte  ; 
I  sent  it  by  one  of  the  keepers  ;  I  think  Torrey  furnished  me  with 
the  paper;  he  gave  me  several  sheets;  I  think  he  gave  me  the 
pen  and  ink  ;  Torrey  was  in  another  cell ;  Davis  tied  a  stick  to 
16* 


186  MEMOIR  OP  TOHRET. 

a  string  and  hove  it  along  to  Torrey's  window ;  he  tied  up  the 
paper,  ink  and  pen  in  a  handkerchief,  and  Davis  pulled  it  back ; 
I  don't  know  how  I  sent  the  ink  back ;  perhaps  I  gave  it  to  one 
of  the  keepers ;  it  might  have  been  sent  back  the  same  way  it 
was  brought ;  I  had  it  two  or  three  days. 

By  Mr.  Richardson. — I  think  Mr.  Heckrotte  came  the  next  day 
after  I  wrote  a  note  to  him  ;  I  had  never  heard  any  one  speak  of 
Mr.  Torrey's  offence  but  himself;  Holmes  got  out  of  jail  about 
one  or  two  days  after  the  arrangement  was  made ;  Holmes  was 
to  go  to  Philadelphia  and  get  tools  ;  he  did  so  ;  Mr.  Torrey  told 
me  so ;  the  tools  were  brought  in  by  Mr.  Torrey's  landlady ;  I 
saw  her  when  she  took  them  out  of  her  bosom  wrapped  up  in 
a  piece  of  brown  paper;  Torrey  wore  whiskers  in  jail;  he 
shaved  them  off  lately;  perhaps  three  or  four  weeks  ago. 

Mr.  Heckrotte  recalled. — I  went  to  see  Southmayd  in  conse 
quence  of  Mr.  Zell  calling  on  me  and  telling  me  if  1  went  to  the 
jail  I  could  learn  something  about  my  negroes  from  a  prisoner 
named  Southmayd  ;  I  went  there  and  saw  him,  and  he  commu 
nicated  the  facts  ;  I  afterwards  sent  him  word  to  put  them  in 
writing  ;  he  told  me  they  had  been  secreted  in  a  house  back  of 
Greenmount;  that  that  was  Torrey's  general  place  of  deposit; 
he  said  that  Torrey  had  got  them  to  Pennsylvania  in  the  neigh 
borhood  of  Peachbottom,  and  then  they  were  sent  to  Philadel 
phia  and  thence  to  New  York,  to  Church  street,  I  believe  he  said. 
I  conversed  with  Southmayd  on  the  back  porch  of  the  jail, 
where  one  of  the  wardens  brought  him  to  me;  I  afterwards 
went  out  with  Mr.  Patterson,  and  I  believe  he  had  some  conver 
sation  with  Southmayd. 

Warden  Graham,  sworn. — When  Torrey  came  to  jail  he  wore 
whiskers  ;  he  shaved  them  off  I  think  about  five  or  six  weeks 
ago. 

By  Mr.  Johnson. — They  were  thin  black  whiskers,  passing  un 
der  the  chin. 

The  State  here  closed  the  case  on  the  part  of  the  prosecution, 
and  the  defence  called  up 

Capt.  Wise,  sworn. — lias  known  Southmayd  about  seven 
years;  he  sailed  in  a  ship  with  me  about  two  years;  from  my 
knowledge  of  his  character,  I  would  not  believe  him  on  his  oath ; 
he  went  by  the  name  of  Thomas  B.  Hatch. 

By  Mr.  Richardson. — I  have  never  heard  any  one  speak  par 
ticularly  of  his  character  for  veracity;  I  have  heard  of  his  gene 
ral  character.  Mr.  Richardson  urged,  upon  this  statement,  that 
the  individual  opinion  of  this  witness  was  not  evidence. 


THE  TRIAL  OP  MR.  TORREY.  187 

Mr.  Johnson  contended  that  if  it  was  proved  that  the  general 
character  of  the  man  was  so  had  that  the  witness  would  not  be 
lieve  him  on  his  oath,  the  evidence  was  admissible.  If  the  man's 
general  character  was  universally  bad,  no  man  would  suspect 
him  of  the  peculiar  virtue  of  veracity. 

The  court  expressed  an  opinion  that  the  evidence  must  be 
confined  to  the  general  character  for  veracity. 

Mir.  Johnson  prayed  the  court  to  allow  him  to  look  to  the  au 
thority  on  the  subject.  He  then  quoted  from  Phillip,  page  291, 
the  opinion  of  Justice  Buller,  that  there  were  two  ways  of  im 
peaching  the  credibility  of  a  witness,  one  of  which  is  by  proving 
that  his  general  reputation  is  so  bad  that  he  would  not  be  be 
lieved  on  oath. 

The  court  stated  that  it  had  always  required  the  examination 
of  a  counter  witness  to  be  confined  to  veracity,  and  should  do  so 
in  this  instance. 

Mr.  Johnson  continued  the  examination. — I  have  heard  per 
sons  say  they  wouldn't  believe  him. 

By  Mr.  Richardson. — I  don't  know  that  I  said  I  had  never 
heard  his  character  for  veracity  spoken  of. 

Justice  Gray,  sworn. — Is  a  magistrate ;  there  are  two  rooms  in 
my  office  ;  the  witnesses  came  into  the  front  room  before  the  time 
ruled  for  trial,  and  were  conducted  into  the  back  office  ;  they 
were  witnesses  also  in  a  civil  case  against  Torrey  at  the  suit  of 
Woodward  ;  the  Rigdon's  were  there  ;  the  examination  in  the 
criminal  charge  was  conducted  by  Messrs.  Cox  and  Gallagher; 
Mr.  Torrey  stood  near  me  some  time,  and  afterwards  sat  down 
just  below  me;  when  young  Heckrotte  came  in,  he  was  asked 
if  he  could  recognize  the  person  he  had  seen  at  his  father's  gate ; 
he  said  it  was  dark  and  he  didn't  know  that  he  could  identify  him ; 
he  was  told  to  look  round  the  office,  and  finally  pointed  to  Mr. 
Torrey  and  said,  "  I  think  that  is  the  man." 

Mr.  Cox,  sworn. — I  was  counsel  with  Mr.  Gallagher,  employed 
by  Mr.  Torrey  to  defend  him  in  a  civil  suit ;  my  recollection  of 
the  proceedings  are  the  same  as  those  of  Mr.  Gray,  with  the 
exception  of  the  position  of  Mr.  Torrey,  who  stood  by  the  side 
of  Mr.  Gallagher,  and  was  continually  conversing  with  him  ;  my 
recollection  of  young  Heckrotte's  identification  is  distinct;  he 
said  it  was  a  dark  night,  and  lie  could  not  say  positively  who  was 
the  man ;  I  was  about  to  cross-examine  him,  when  Mr.  Collins, 
who  was  engaged  by  Mr.  Woodward  in  the  civil  suit,  remarked 
that  that  was  not  necessary,  inasmuch  as  the  young  man  had 
failed  to  identify  him. 


1  88  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

Robert  Gamble,  sworn. — Was  in  the  room  where  Torrey  was 
confined  ;  there  were  six  beside  myself;  Southma^d  took  a  part 
in  trying  to  get  out ;  has  had  the  saw  and  worked  with  it. 

By  Mr.  Richardson. — I  can't  say  where  the  saw  came  from,' 
it  was  there  when  1  was  put  there  ;  I  was  in  the  room  when 
they  were  attempting  to  get  out ;  it  was  in  the  daytime  ;  I  did 
not  assist ;  there  were  five  of  them  who  worked  at  it. 

Warden  Graham  recalled. — On  the  morning  we  discovered 
the  attempt  to  break  out,  we  removed  the  prisoners,  and  whilst 
1  was  ironing  Mr.  Torrey,  he  said  he  was  sorry  for  the  others  in 
the  room  if  they  were  to  suffer,  as  he  had  been  the  sole  origi 
nator  and  instigator  of  the  attempt  to  escape  ;  he  spoke  partic 
ularly  of  Southmayd,  who  he  said  had  had  nothing  at  all  to  do 
with  it. 

Simeon  Hays,  sworn. — I  saw  a  letter  from  Rigdon  to  Mr. 
Heckrotte,  in  relation  to  his  negroes ;  he  showed  it  to  me ;  I 
don't  recollect  having  received  any  letter  in  relation  to  it ;  I 
think  I  saw  one  or  two  that  Mr.  Heckrotte  received.  I  think  it 
must  have  been  about  a  month  after  I  saw  the  letter  that  Tor 
rey  was  arrested  ;  I  am  not  certain  ;  within  two  weeks  probably. 

John  Zell,  sworn. — I  saw  a  letter  from  Mr.  Rigdon,  brought 
to  the  office  J3y  Mr.  Heckrotte;  I  am  certain  we  never  received 
a  letter  ourselves  on  the  subject ;  I  went  to  the  prison  to  see 
Southmayd,  who  sent  forme,  to  tell  me  something  about  Mr. 
Heckrotte's  negroes  ;  I  called  on  Mr.  Heckrotte,  and  we  went 
together;  we  had  Southmayd  arid  a  boy  named  Davis  brought 
out,  the  message  stating  that  both  had  something  to  communi 
cate  ;  I  talked  to  Davis  on  the  porch,  and  Mr.  Heckrotte  talked 
to  Southmayd;  I  could  not  hear  what  they  said  ;  I  went  there 
once  afterwards  with  Mr.  Heckrotte,  but  said  nothing  to  South 
mayd  ;  I  have  no  knowledge  of  any  inducements  held  out  to 
Southmayd,  of  my  own  ;  Mr.  Heckrotte  told  me  that  he  had 
promised  to  use  some  influence  for  him  ;  I  heard  Mr.  Heckrotte 
tell  Southmayd  in  my  presence,  that  he  would  use  his  exertions 
to  get  him  a  pardon,  if  he  came  out  candidly  ;  did  not  know  if 
he  could  succeed. 

By  Mr.  Richardson. — I  saw  Southmayd  when  he  sent  for  me, 
alone,  and  Southmayd  began  to  make  some  disclosures,  and  I 
stopped  him  ;  I  told  him  I  did  not  want  to  hear  any  thing  about 
it;  if  he  had  any  thing  to  tell,  he  had  better  tell  Mr.  Heckrotte ; 
I  think  it  was  upon  the  second  visit  that  Mr.  Heckrotte  told 
Southmayd  that  lie  would  use  his  exertions  in  his  behalf;  I 
could  not  hear  what  Mr.  Heckrotte  had  said  before  to  him. 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORRET.  189 

Mr.  Ileckrotte,  recalled. — I  don't  remember  making  any  di 
rect  promises  to  Southmayd  ;  I  told  him  I  was  a  whig,  and  had 
no  influence  with  the  present  Governor;  but  what  I  could  do  for 
him  I  would  ;  this  was  after  the  first  interview  before  he  made 
the  written  communication. 

By  Mr.  Johnson. — My  promise  to  use  my  influence  was  not 
to  take  effect  until  after  he  had  given  his  testimony. 

The  defence  was  closed  at  this  point,  and  Mr.  Richardson 
arose  and  addressed  the  jury  ;  he  went  briefly  over  the  leading 
facts  elicited  during  the  examination,  and  left  the  case  to  the 
counsel  for  defence,  with  the  remark,  that  upon  such  testimony 
they  must  either  find  the  traverser  guilty,  or  erase  from  the 
statute  hook  the  enactment  under  which  he  was  indicted. 

Mr.  Cox  followed,  and  observed  that,  until  that  morning,  he 
had  not  been  aware  that  it  would  have  been  a  part  of  his  duty  to 
address  the  jury  ;  he  proceeded,  however,  with  an  animated 
and  eloquent  appeal  in  behalf  of  his  client,  and  evidently  suc 
ceeded  in  gaining  the  attention,  and  enlisting  the  interest  of  the 
multitude  without  the  jury  box,  whatever  might  have  been  the 
effect  of  his  remarks  within  it.  He  touched  briefly  on  some 
points  of  the  testimony,  and  concluded  with  an  expression  of 
his  satisfaction  that  the  argument  would  be  continued  by  the  dis 
tinguished  and  learned  counsel  engaged  in  the  cause. 

The  court  now  took  a  recess  for  an  hour. 


AFTERNOON  SESSION. 

On  the  assembling  of  the  court  in  the  afternoon,  Mr.  Johnson 
proceeded  with  the  argument  before  the  jury,  and  but  that  the 
limits  of  our  space  in  these  columns  restrained  our  hand,  we 
should  have  followed  him  throughout  his  powerful,  eloquent, 
noble  vindications  of  his  client,  the  analysis  of  the  evidence  in 
clusive.  We,  however,  confine  ourselves  to  a  brief  notice  of 
the  magnificent  exordium  with  which  he  held  the  immense 
multitude,  which  crowded  to  overflow  the  spacious  court  room, 
spell  bound,  in  breathless  silence. 

He  commenced  with  an  allusion  to  the  institution  of  slavery, 
and  with  a  strong,  though  carefully  guarded  language,  drew  the 
distinction  between  its  moral  and  legal  existence.  He  referred 
to  it  as  the  dreaded  cause  of  civil  strife,  its  agitation  the  fre 
quent  cause  of  servile  war.  He  deprecated  with  fervent  energy, 
such  a  consequence  as  tending  to  that  most  fearful  result,  to 
blot  from  the  world  the  choicest  freedom  that  Divine  Providence, 


190  MEMOIR    OF  TORRE Y. 

in  its  infinite  goodness,  has  ever  vouchsafed  to  man.  He  had 
his  peculiar  opinions  of  the  institution  of  slavery,  which  it  did 
not  hecome  him  to  speak  of  here  as  a  citizen  of  Maryland.  As 
a  mere  subject  of  political  economy,  as  a  matter  of  dollars 
and  cents,  Maryland  would  be  infinitely  richer  if  the  whole  sys 
tem  of  slavery  could  be  brought  rightfully  to  an  end.  Right 
fully  he  said.  To  be  done  with  the  law,  and  not  against  the  law 
— to  be  done  openly  and  not  secretly ;  not  in  such  a  way  as  to 
light  the  torch  of  the  incendiary — not  in  such  a  way  as  to  de 
stroy  property — but  to  preserve  it. 

When  the  traverser,  whose  opinions  on  this  subject  have 
never  been  kept  secret,  applied  to  me,  said  Mr.  Johnson,  to  act 
as  his  counsel  in  this  case,  I  made  up  my  mind  at  once  to  ren 
der  him  all  the  aid  that  I  could  render  him,  under  a  fixed  and 
settled  purpose,  to  express  no  opinion,  to  declare  no  sentiment, 
even  in  the  excitement  of  the  forensic  contest  that  might  in  any 
way  hazard  the  peace  of  our  common  State.  1  felt  a  natural,  an 
earnest  solicitude  that  he  should  have  a  fair  and  impartial  trial. 
As  far  as  I  know,  as  the  functions  of  this  tribunal  could  extend, 
this  honorable  court,  and  its  officers,  he  would  have  it.  But  in 
the  department  which  you  occupy,  I  felt  there  might  be  dan 
ger.  The  very  atmosphere  was  rife  with  personal  prejudices. 
It  was  not  only  that  one  of  the  institutions  of  our  State  was  sup 
posed  to  have  been  assailed  and  violated  by  this  man,  but  that 
the  very  cause  in  which  he  had  assailed  it,  had  loomed  so  large 
in  that  portion  of  our  country  from  which  he  was  supposed  to 
have  come,  that  it  had  become  an  integral  political  subject,  by 
which  our  country  was  to  be  agitated  for  evil  or  for  good.  It 
had  been  inculcated  into  the  political  world  in  such  a  form,  and 
with  such  vigorous  assiduity,  as  to  threaten  the  dissolution  of  this 
our  blessed  Union.  And  the  fact  which  had  fastened  itself  upon  my 
own  mind,  I  knew  might  find  access  to  the  minds  of  others, 
and  thus  go  with  the  juror  into  that  box,  and  without  his  know 
ing  it,  to  influence  his  decision. 

Mr.  Torrey  was  not  unknown  in  the  State  of  Maryland.  I 
knew  that  it  was  generally  known,  that  at  an  assembly  of  our 
fellow-citizens  called  a  *  Slaveholders'  Convention,'  held  some 
time  since  at  Annapolis,  he  had  been  present,  in — what  I 
thought  then,  and  still  think — the  admitted  right  of  a  reporter 
for  some  northern  prints,  he  had  been  seized  and  incarcerated — 
but  finally  liberated  under  the  wholesome — and  without  which 
we  should  all  be  slaves — writ  of  habeas  corpus.  He  was  liber 
ated  and  went  away,  but  he  left  his  name  behind,  and  prejudice 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORRET.  191 

had  fastened  upon  it  as  a  fit  subject  for  animadversion ;  while 
the  public  mind  was  agitated  to  frenzy  by  what  was  thought  to 
be  an  unjustifiable  and  unpardonable  interference  with  the  pro 
ceedings.  Thus  exposed  to  animadversion,  to  denunciation  and 
reproach,  I  could  not  be  blind  to  what  I  supposed  would  be  his 
fate.  I  felt  that  there  was  every  probability  that  he  might  come 
before  this  tribunal  under  these  influences  without,  rather  like 
a  victim  bound  for  the  sacrifice,  than  like  a  free  man  to  be  tried 
by  the  laws  of  his  country.  And  if  I  may  be  permitted  to  say 
a  word  of  a  personal  character,  I  engaged  in  his  cause,  prompt 
ed  by  the  emotions  springing  from  this  view  of  his  position, 
without  expectation  of  any  other  compensation  than  a  sense  of 
duty  affords — seeing  to  his  abject  poverty — I  may  say  hopeless 
poverty,  I  could  not  do  less  than  this.  Since  then  I  have  had 
other  persuasive  influences — he  has  a  wife  and  children.  A 
proper  sense  of  delicacy  forbids  me  to  speak  as  I  would,  for  that 
wife  is  now  within  the  sound  of  my  voice  ;  but  this  1  may  say 
— in  all  the  mental  accomplishments  with  which  woman  can 
be  endowed,  in  all  the  loveliness  of  moral  character  for  which 
her  sex  in  its  greatest  perfection  is  noted,  she  can  compare,  and 
compare  well,  with  any  other  woman  within  the  limits  of  our 
country.  She  has  come  here  to  witness  the  trial  of  this  husband 
in  whom  all  her  affections  are  centered.  She  has  come  to  be 
present  at  the  probable  adverse  termination  of  this  trial.  She 
has  come — if  such  should  be  the  law  and  the  evidence — to  see 
him  the  last  time  before  he  is  incarcerated  within  the  walls  of  a 
prison — a  fate  which  will  forbid  an  interview  for  years.  But 
she  has  come  with  all  the  affections  of  woman's  heart,  burning 
within  her  bosom,  and  though  adverse  his  fate,  those  affections 
will  go  with  him  to  his  prison — be  with  him  for  his  consolation 
— they  will  follow  and  cling  to  him  there  through  the  long  and 
distressing  years  he  may  be  doomed  to  pass,  and  in  her  prayers 
will  watch  over  him  every  hour;  and  she  will  inculcate  in  her 
children,  while  their  father  is  toiling  out  the  penalty  he  has  in 
curred,  the  fact,  that  however  guilty  he  may  be  deemed  of  vio 
lating  the  laws  of  man,  he  did  it  under  the  strong  and  imperious 
conviction,  that  there  was  another  law  controlling  him  and  all 
our  institutions,  having  its  immediate  emanation  from  God — re 
quiring  at  his  hands  a  duty  which  he  could  not  refuse  to  per 
form.  And  should  Heaven  suffer  him  to  live  out  the  years  of 
his  incarceration,  he  will  return  to  his  wife,  his  children,  his 
friends,  distinguished  and  numerous  as  they  are,  with  no  moral 


192 


MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 


stain  upon  his  name,  with  every  moral   attribute  of  his  nature 
untouched,  to  carry  out  the  purpose  of  his  life  and  vocation. 

Mr.  Torrey,  gentlemen,  is  not  an  ordinary  culprit — or  to  speak 
what  I  intended — he  is  no  ordinary  rnan  to  be  arraigned  as  a 
culprit.  A  graduate  with  honor  in  one  of  the  first  Universities 
in  the  land,  his  life  was  devoted — peculiarly  devoted  to  the 
study  of  Heaven's  law,  and  he  became  a  minister  of  the  gospel 
at  a  very  youthful  age — a  quite  distinguished  eminence  in  that 
great — great  in  revolutionary  reminiscences — great  in  all  the 
historical  and  patriotic  associations  of  our  country — the  com 
monwealth  of  Massachusetts.  It  was  his  to  labor  in  the  holiest 
cause  to  which  man  can  be  devoted;  not  only  to  inform  the  ig 
norant,  but  to  strengthen  the  hopes  of  the  believer,  to  assail  the 
thoughtless  and  indifferent,  and  to  win  them  from  the  ways  of 
sin.  He  stood  irreproachable  in  his  calling,  and  until  this  ques 
tion  of  abolition  became  one  of  the  leading  questions  of  the 
North,  the  breath  of  suspicion  never  fell  upon  the  man.  Here 
he  is,  gentlemen,  relying  upon  his  advocates  to  get  him  clear  if 
we  can,  of  the  charge  for  which  he  is  indicted  ;  or  if  not,  to  bear 
willing  testimony  for  him,  that  whatever  the  crime  may  be  if 
committed  and  crime  it  may  be  called,  so  far  as  moral  wrong 
may  be  in  the  commission  of  that  crime,  he  stands  unspotted 
now  in  the  eyes  of  man  and  of  God. 

I  have  one  other  remark  to  make,  gentlemen,  in  this  part  of 
my  subject.  I  know,  and  have  reason  to  know,  that  there  is  an 
anxiety  relating  to  the  result  of  this  trial,  not  confined  to  our  un 
fortunate  client,  his  relatives  or  friends,  but  extending  through 
out  our  common  Union.  Not  confined  to  that  part  of  our  coun 
try,  which  would  seek  to  make  the  subject  of  abolition  a  political 
element,  and  to  be  prosecuted  to  extremity  without  regard  to 
consequences,  but  throughout  all  sections  and  divisions  of  the 
land;  and  throughout  all  I  have  seen,  that  if  the  proceedings  in 
this  trial  should  be  published,  and  I  observe  that  they  are  about 
to  be  published,  our  brethren  will  see  that  another  man,  no 
matter  how  deeply  he  may  be  steeped  in  abolition  faith,  no  mat 
ter  how  great  may  be  the  excitement  against  him  in  the  public 
mind,  is,  in  Maryland,  slave  State  as  she  is,  he  will  not  only  have 
the  ablest  counsel,  but  is  actually  certain  that  his  case  will  be 
fairly  tried  by  impartial  men.  And  I  say,  in  the  presence  of  this 
traverser  and  the  friends  by  whom  he  is  surrounded,  that  so  far 
as  the  law  arid  the  evidence  are  concerned,  this  trial  has  been  as 
fair  and  impartial  as  human  frailty  can  make  it. 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORREY.  193 

But,  gentlemen,  in  order  to  vouch  for  this  fact  to  all  who  may 
sympathize  with  this  traverser,  (and  they  are  not  confined  to  citi 
zens  of  Pennsylvania,  New  York  or  the  Eastern  States,  but  in 
Ohio,  Indiana,  and  sure  to  be  found  from  the  very  nature  of  our 
being,  wherever  human  freedom  exists  unalloyed  by  human  sla 
very,)  it  is  all-important  that  no  conviction  should  be  had,  except 
upon  evidence  where  there  is  no  doubt  of  the  guilt.  You  are  not 
to  be  blind  to  the  condition  of  the  country;  you  are  not  to  be 
deaf  to  the  dangers  with  which  we  are  surrounded — and  I  am 
sure  you  have  felt  that  upon  this  question  of  domestic  slavery, 
sooner  or  later,  is  to  be  fought  that  battle  which  is  to  determine 
whether  this  Union  is  to  exist,  or  not.  It  is  my  wish,  my  ear 
nest  desire,  that  it  should  be  fought  by  moral  force  ;  I  wish  to 
keep  out  of  it  the  physical  energies  of  mankind  ;  to  avoid  the 
shedding  by  brothers  of  brothers'  blood.  It  is  our  duty,  then, 
in  this  State  at  least,  that  we  may  act  our  part  as  conservators 
of  the  peace  of  the  Union,  to  let  no  abolitionist  be  punished,  ex 
cept  upon  such  evidence  as  will  leave  no  room  for  doubt.  Once 
have  it  understood  among  our  Northern  brethren,  that  to  be  ac 
cused  in  a  slave  State  is  to  be  convicted,  to  excite  prejudices  an 
invariable  result  of  accusation,  and  the  death-warrant  of  the  Union 
is  from  that  day  signed.  For  notwithstanding  all  we  may  say 
of  it,  from  the  time  of  our  first  Union  the  principle  had  become 
very  universally  admitted,  that  property  in  man  had  no  existence 
except  in  the  laws  of  man,  and  while  they  are  acting  out  this 
principle,  the  only  moral  persuasion  which  can  address  itself  to 
our  Northern  brethren,  is  to  show  them  that  we  so  far  respect 
their  views  and  sentiments  with  regard  to  us.  as  to  assure  them 
that  they  are  in  no  danger  of  punishment  except  on  such  evi 
dence  as  can  leave  no  rational  doubt  in  the  minds  of  a  jury. 
Now,  gentlemen,  let  us  see  if  that  is  the  case  here. 

I  am  not  here  to  ask  you  to  erase  from  the  statute  book  any  of 
its  enactments,  as  the  learned  prosecutor  has  said  you  must  do, 
before  you  can  acquit  tins  man.  If  it  were  necessary  I  should 
be  here  to  maintain  it.  That  enactment  is  relative  to  an  institu 
tion  peculiar  to  our  State  ;  it  is  a  matter  of  our  domestic  concern; 
it  is  placed  beyond  the  reach  of  any  exterior  power.  I  am  not 
here,  then,  to  question  either  its  legality  or  sanctity,  if  I  may  so 
express  myself. 

Gentlemen,  in  the  verdict  which  you  will  pronounce  in  rela 
tion  to  this  man,  you  will  not,  I  am   sure,  desire  to  go  beyond 
the  letter  and  the  provisions  of  this  act,  under  which  he  is  in 
dicted.     It  is  an  act  of  1827,  ch.  15,  and  the  first  section.     Novr 
17 


194  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

what  does  it  say?  "If  any  free  person  shall  entice,  persuade  or 
assist  any  slave  or  servant,  knowing  him  or  her  to  he  such,  to 
run  away  from  his  or  her  lawful  owner,  or  shall  harbor,  etc., 
then  such  person  shall  be  indicted  in  the  county  court  of  such 
county  in  which  the  offence  shall  he  committed,  or  in  Baltimore 
city  court" — now  mark,  gentlemen — "  if  such  offence  shall  be 
committed  in  Baltimore  city." 

Now  what  becomes  of  the  case  ?  Now  what  is  the  use  of  all 
the  evidence  we  have  relative  to  the  Harford  road  ?  What  if 
Mr.  Torrey  is  enticing,  persuading  and  assisting  these  negroes 
to  run  away  at  Peachbottom,  at  Deer  creek,  or  anywhere  else 
up  there  ;  you  may  indict  him  if  you  like  in  Harford  county, 
but  convict  him  in  Baltimore  city  court  you  can't,  for  an  offence 
committed  at  Deer  creek,  under  this  act,  and  with  this  indict 
ment. 

Mr.  Johnson  then  proceeded  to  speak  of  the  two  witnesses  on 
whose  testimony  the  State  must  rest  to  prove  the  offence  within 
the  limits  of  the  city  of  Baltimore,  Charles  Heckrotte  and  Thomas 
South mayd.  Previously,  however,  he  reviewed,  at  considerable 
length,  the  other  evidence  in  the  case,  illustrating  the  fact  that, 
although  Mr.  Heckrotte's  negroes  disappeared  on  the  evening  of 
the  4th  of  June,  between  eight  and  nine  o'clock,  Torrey  is  seen, 
on  the  morning  of  the  5th,  above  Deer  creek,  driving  a  one-horse 
carriage,  in  which  is  a  negro  woman,  confessedly  not  one  of 
Heckrotte's.  He  asked,  where  were  Heckrotte's  negroes  then  ? 
Torrey  a  day's  journey  from  Baltimore,  the  next  morning  after 
they  leave  their  master's  protection,  travelling  with  another  wo 
man.  If  they  left  the  city  and  met  him  in  Harford  county,  he 
certainly  is  not  guilty  of  having  persuaded,  enticed  or  assisted 
them  in  the  city,  and  unless  you  believe  this  you  cannot  convict 
him.  Mr.  Johnson  thoroughly  argued  this  portion  of  the  evidence  ; 
visited  Deer  creek,  took  up  the  crackers  and  Bologna  sausages, 
the  description  of  the  negroes  given  by  Samuel  Rigdon,  exhibited 
in  connection  with  the  fact  that  he  had  seen  the  full  description 
published  in  the  Sun  by  Mr.  Heckrotte.  He  followed  the  wit 
nesses  through  their  varying  description*  of  Torrey,  and  quoted 
from  the  letter  of  Robert  Rigdon  to  Mr.  Heckrotte,  in  which  he 
describes  the  driver  of  the  carriage  as  a  "  dark  cornplexioned 
man,  high  nose,  small  round  whiskers,  forbidding  appearance, 
and  a  Yankee-looking  fellow."  Mr.  Johnson  proceeded  to  the 
identity  of  the  negroes,  contending  that  it  was  vague  and  indefi 
nite,  and  not  entitled  to  credit ;  one  witness  only  professing  to 
discover  a  tooth  gone,  and  in  that  particular  to  a  fault,  designat- 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORRE  Y.  195 

ing  it  as  an  eye-tooth,  after  the  mere  glance  of  the  party  passing 
him.  The  whole  testimony  was  elaborately  reviewed,  fact  by  fact, 
and  finally  that  of  Charles  Heckrotte  and  Southmayd  assailed 
with  a  degree  of  energy  and  analytical  skill  that  seemed  resolved 
to  destroy.  The  gentle/nan  concluded  after  having  spoken  two 
hours  and  three  quarters. 

The  court  adjourned  until  Monday  morning  at  ten  o'clock.* 

Monday,  Dec.  2,  1844. 

The  hall  of  the  court  house  was  quite  thronged  this  morning 
previous  to  the  opening  of  the  doors  of  the  court  room,  so  in 
tense  had  become  the  popular  desire  to  hear  the  closing  argu 
ment  of  the  distinguished  gentleman  who  represents  the  State 
in  this  prosecution.  Within  two  minutes  alter  the  doors  were 
opened,  the  court  room  was  thronged  in  ever}7  part  A  glance 
at  the  multitude  was  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  eye  that  it  was  com 
posed  of  the  most  respectable  of  our  fellow  citizens.  We  ob 
served  a  number  of  the  clergymen  of  c»ur  city,  many  of  the 
merchants  and  gentlemen  of  every  profession,  and  the  interest 
which  they  felt  in  the  case  was  emphatically  expressed  in  the 
unbroken  silence  which  was  observed  throughout  the  period  of 
nearly  two  hours,  which  was  occupied  by  Mr.  Richardson  in  his 
address  to  the  jury. 

Among  other  distinguished  gentlemen  present,  we  observed 
upon  the  bench,  somewhat  excluded  by  others  in  front,  the  Hon. 
Mr.  Pratt,  Governor  elect  of  Maryland. 

As  soon  as  the  Chief  Judge  hail  taken  his  seat,  at  about  ten 
minutes  after  ten  o'clock,  Mr.  Richardson  rose  and  spoke  to  the 
following  pur|K>rt  : 

Gentlemen  of  the  Jury,  the  argument  which  I  propose  to  sub 
mit  to  you  this  morning,will  be  confined  entirely  to  the  case  which 
is  presented  by  the  evidence  and  the  law  relating  thereto.  It  is  no 
part  of  my  intention  to  travel  out  of  the  line  of  argument  to  which 
these  limits  restrict  me.  I  shall  not  pretend  to  discuss  the  sub 
ject  of  slavery  as  it  exists  in  the  South,  or  the  peculiar  views 
and  sentiments  of  an  adverse  character  entertained  by  the  peo 
ple  of  the  North.  All  that  I  have  to  do  in  the  performance  of 
my  duty  here,  is  to  speak  of  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Maryland 


*  One  thing  is  worthy  of  remark  in  this  report  of  the  trial.  Mr. 
ard  son's  speech  is  reported  in  /«//,  while  nothing  scarcely  of  Mr.  John 
son's  is  reported  save  his  exordium.  Why  not  follow  him  as  lie  txamincd 
stimony?  It  will  ever  he  believed  by  many,  that  this  omission  was 
intended,  in  order  that  no  impression  should  he  made  upon  the  mind  of 
the  community  in  favor  of  Mr.  Torrey's  innocence.  —  ED. 


196  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

as  we  find  them — it  is  by  those  laws  that  the  prisoner  is  to  be 
tried,  and  by  the  same  laws  you  are  sworn  as  his  jurors.  You 
will  therefore  try  this  case  as  you  would  any  other — upon  the 
law  and  the  facts — and  therefore  it  differs  from  no  other.  You 
will  look  only  to  the  solemn  obligation  which  you  have  assu 
med,  and  the  responsibilities  associated  therewith.  It  is  not  for 
you  to  consider  the  relations  of  private  life  which  may  exist  with 
regard  to  this  prisoner;  nor  are  you  to  investigate  those  feel 
ings  which  may  actuate  him,  as  supposed  to  emanate  from  God  ; 
or  any  other  principle  of  action  or  consideration,  that  may  have 
been  interposed  between  you  arid  your  duty.  You  sit  there  bound 
by  the  oaths  which  you  have  taken,  and  the  solemnity  of  the  re 
sponsibilities  imposed  on  you,  responsibilities  which  nothing  can 
sever,  and  from  which  nothing  can  release  you.  It  is  required  of 
you  that  you  deal  impartially  with  this  traverser,  between  him  and 
the  State  of  Maryland.  Even  though  civil  broil  ensue,  though  ser 
vile  war  shall  be  the  consequence,  aye,  though  the  disunion  of  this 
confederacy  be  the  result  of  your  verdict,  you  cannot  sever  your 
self  from  the  obligations  which  you  have  respectively  assumed. 
Coming  then  to  the  deliberation  of  this  question,  severed  and  se 
gregated  as  you  are  from  the  community,  in  the  particular  duty  to 
which  you  have  been  called  ;  you  will  come  with  me  to  the  calm, 
unbiassed,  and  I  am  sure  unprejudiced  consideration  of  the  facts 
of  the  case. 

The  question  which  engages  our  attention  is  then,  what  are 
the  points  which  are  to  be  presented  in  this  case,  and  which  are 
to  tend  to  the  conviction  of  this  prisoner?  It  is  necessary  for 
the  State  to  establish  first,  that  the  traverser  was  the  individual 
who  drove  the  carriage  which  was  seen  passing  up  the  Harford 
road  on  the  morning  of  the  7th  June,  as  referred  to  by  the  wit 
nesses  ;  and  secondly,  that  the  negroes  with  him  in  that  carriage 
were  the  property  of  Mr.  Heckrotte.  This  proved,  the  corollary 
of  charges  are  established  that  he  enticed,  persuaded  and  assist 
ed  them  to  run  away.  Now  is  there  a  man  in  that  jury  box, 
who  having  heard  all  the  evidence,  doubts  that  that  carriage  was 
driven  by  the  prisoner  at  the  bar  ?  I  do  not  remember  that  the 
learned  counsel  who  last  addressed  you  on  Saturday,  attempted 
to  controvert  the  fact.  It  is  certain  that  on  the  4th  June  he  hired 
the  carriage  and  horses  of  Mr.  Woodward  ;  that  he  went  up  the 
road  with  that  carriage  and  horses  on  the  morning  of  the  5th, 
and  returned  the  same  day.  It  is  equally  certain  that  the  individ 
ual  now  on  trial,  drove  the  carriage.  The  witnesses  tell  you  pos 
itively  that  the  prisoner  is  the  person  whom  they  saw  so  engaged. 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORRE Y.  197 

. 

George  Rigdon  tolls  you  that  he  saw  him  at  Deer  creek  bridge, 
and  looked  at  him  there  for  ten  minutes. 

Mr.  Richardson  now  proceeded  successively  to  the  testimony 
of  each  of  the  witnesses,  arraying  the  facts  first  with  reference 
to  the  identity  of  Torrey,  and  next  those  having  their  applica 
tion  tor  the  identification  of  the  witnesses.  As  this  testimony 
has  already  been  before  the  reader,  it  will  be  unnecessary  to  re 
fer  more  particularly  to  it.  In  concluding  that  portion  directed 
towards  the  identity  of  Torrey,  the  learned  attorney  exclaimed, 
with  emphasis,  if  evidence  could  be  demanded  for  the  convic 
tion  of  any  man,  stronger  than  this,  I  am  unable  to  determine 
what  the  strength  of  testimony  is. 

The  next  question  is,  said  Mr.  R.,  whether  the  negroes  were 
the  property  of  Mr.  Heckrotte  ?  To  this  point  the  testimony  of 
Mr.  H.  was  first  advanced  in  proof  that  he  lost  them  on  the 
evening  of  the  4th  June.  There  were  mother,  daughter  and 
son,  all  stout  and  well  proportioned — the  first  about  forty  years 
of  age,  the  second,  nineteen,  and  the  last  seventeen.  On  the 
morning  of  the  7th,  three  negroes,  corresponding  in  every  par 
ticular,  are  seen  as  had  been  described  by  witnesses.  Mr. 
Richardson  referred  to  the  dress,  appearance,  &c.,  agreeing  in 
every  particular.  He  thought  lie  could  not  be  taxing  the  cre 
dulity  of  the  jury  too  much  to  ask  them  to  believe  that  they 
were  the  same.  Mr.  R.  then  referred  to  the  finding  of  the  frag 
ments  of  sausages,  and  the  entire  cracker  at  Deer  creek  bridge, 
the  latter  marked  '  H.  H.'  He  would  not  pretend  to  refer  to  so 
apparently  unimportant  a  fact  as  worthy  of  a  moment's  consider 
ation  in  itself;  but,  contended  Mr.  R.,  facts  and  circumstances 
in  such  a  position  as  those  in  the  present  case,  do  not  have  their 
individual  weight  alone.  Their  importance  increases  in  geo 
metrical  progression,  not  fact  by  fact,  but  1 — 4 — 16,  etc.,  weav 
ing,  as  it  were,  a  ligament  about  the  accused  beyond  the  power 
of  moral  strength  to  destroy.  Thus  a  withe  that  a  mere  child 
might  break,  when  bound  together  with  others,  no  stronger  than 
itself  may  become  too  strong  for  a  giant  to  sunder.  So  with  a 
single  fact  which  lias  no  power  in  itself,  when  followed  and  as 
sociated  and  surrounded  by  others,  becomes  too  strong  for  hu 
man  credulity  to  resist. 

Mr.  R.  then  proceeded  to  speak  of  the  fact  of  the  tooth  being 
out,  as  observed  by  Samuel  Rigdon  and  Amos,  though  not  by 
Robert  Rigdon,  and  contended  that  in  all  cases  one  positive  tes 
timony  was  worth  a  dozen  negative,  but  here  were  two  positive 
to  one  negative. 

17* 


198  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

Were  this  all  on  which  the  State  had  to  rest,  said  Mr.  R.,  were 
this  all  to  which  I  have  now  alluded,  I  could  confidently  declare 
that  the  State  had  made  out  a  case  which  was  sufficient  in  itself. 
But  there  is  yet  behind  that  which,  if  I  may  so  express  myself, 
puts  a  cap  upon  the  pillar  of  evidence  which  no  man  can  throw 
down.  Here  is  the  ribbon,  gentlemen.  Mr.  R.  then  spoke  to 
this  branch  of  the  testimony,  and  especially  to  the  fact  that  the 
color  had  faded.  Now,  said  Mr.  R.,  every  man  knows  that  green 
is  made  by  the  admixture  of  yellow  and  blue  ;  and  any  man 
who  has  but  a  superficial  acquaintance  with  chemistry,  knows 
also  that  if  you  extract  the  blue,  the  yellow  remains.  Now  I 
have,  to  make  assurance  doubly  sure,  taken  the  blue  from  a  por 
tion  of  this  ribbon  gradually  less  and  less  from  a  certain  point 
down  to  the  end,  where  I  have  pinned  the  piece  found  at  Deer 
creek.  (This  Mr.  R.  handed  to  the  jury  for  their  examination.) 
That  ribbon,  gentlemen,  speaks  more  conclusively  than  the  oath 
of  any  man  upon  earth. 

Mr.  R.  now  referred  to  the  letter  written  by  Samuel  Rigdon 
to  Mr.  Heckrotte,  at  the  instance  of  George,  and  defended  the 
witnesses  from  the  charge  of  variation  in  their  statements,  as 
hinted  from  the  other  side,  and  claimed  for  them  though  hum 
ble  in  life,  a  character  for  veracity  and  integrity  second  to  that 
of  neither  judge,  counsel,  jury,  or  spectator. 

But,  sny  the  counsel  on  the  other  side,  it  is  true,  if  you  please, 
that  Torrey  was  seen  in  the  carriage,  arid  they  were  the  negroes 
of  Mr.  Heckrotte.  The  act  of  Assembly  confines  you  to  the  city 
of  Baltimore.  He  was  seen  in  Harford  county,  and  you  cannot 
punish  him  in  Baltimore  city  court.  Gentlemen  of  the  jury,  look 
at  the  position  in  which  their  client  is  placed  by  the  very  point 
raised  by  his  counsel.  Although  he  is  the  guilty  man,  you  can 
not  declare  that  he  is  so,  because  he  is  not  before  the  right  tri 
bunal.  So  then,  under  the  high  obligations  of  the  oath  yon  have 
taken,  you  are  to  let  him  go  free,  in  the  effort  to  grope  about  for 
the  right  tribunal.  I  apprehend  that  he  will  have  to  raise  a  higher 
principle  of  defence  than  this,  before  he  asks  you  to  trifle  with 
your  oaths.  He  is  here,  where  he  ought  to  be.  This  is  the  court 
in  which  he  is  and  must  be  tried.  The  circumstances  are  on  oath 
before  us,  and  I  ask  you  to  go  with  me  to  their  investigation. 
If  he  is  not  guilty  here,  he  is  not  guilty  in  Harford.  Mr.  Heck 
rotte  loses  three  kind,  obedient,  affectionate  servants;  affection 
ate,  I  say,  for  at  their  own  desire,  on  the  death  of  their  mistress, 
they  are  put  into  mourning  for  her.  According  to  the  theory  of 
the  counsel  for  the  defence,  he  might  have  taken  them  up  in  the 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORRET.  199 

road,  without  any  previous  understanding.  We  are  to  believe 
that  Torrey  is  driving  down  the  road  to  Baltimore,  and  meets 
these  three  negroes  accidentally,  without  previous  concert,  or 
knowledge  of  them,  takes  them  into  his  carriage,  turns  about 
and  drives  them  into  Pennsylvania.  Now  I  say,  that  if  they 
were  informed  that  if  they  left  their  master,  a  carriage  would  be 
at  a  given  place  to  carry  them  off,  though  without  the  limits  of 
direct  taxation,  and  the  driver  of  that  carriage  knew  that  they 
were  runaway  slaves,  he  is  guilty  here.  If  Mr.  Torrey  was  that 
man,  though  they  had  never  seen  Mr.  Torrey,  he  is  guilty,  here, 
within  the  meaning  of  the  act  of  Assembly. 

Mr.  R.  then  referred  briefly  to  the  testimony  of  Charles  Heck- 
rotte,  contending  that  there  was  some  reason  why  the  individual 
who  was  conversing  with  the  girl  at  the  gate,  walked  away 
when  Charles  approached.  And  if  so,  why  should  it  not  be  Mr. 
Torrey  as  well  as  any  other  man,  although  the  counsel  argues 
that  had  it  been  him  he  would  have  turned  the  other  way. 
Charles  tells  you,  when  he  sees  Mr.  Torrey,  that  he  believes  he 
is  the  man.  Mr.  Richardson  now  came,  "  last  though  not  least," 
he  observed,  to  the  testimony  of  South mayd.  The  counsel  says 
that  the  State  has  not  made  out  its  case  without  South  mayd,  or 
it  would  never  have  introduced  his  testimony.  Such  is  not  the 
case.  The  State  could  safely  leave  the  case  here  ;  but  I  care  not 
how  black  may  be  the  character  of  the  witness,  there  are  circum 
stances  which  prove  his  truth,  and  over  which  his  character  can 
have  no  influence  or  control.  He  is  there  in  the  room  with  Tor 
rey  ;  they  with  some  of  their  fellow-prisoners  have  made  an  at- 
fort  to  escape,  and  first  it  is  necessary  to  aid  the  escape  of  one 
of  their  number.  This  is  done  by  means  of  bail,  which  this  court 
understands;  a  man,  Klein  1  mean,  who  will  perjure  himself  for 
a  price,  is  security  for  Holmes,  and  Holmes — the  fact  is  uncon- 
tradicted — goes  to  Philadelphia  and  obtains  instruments  for  the 
work  of  escape,  which  are  introduced  into  the  jail  to  Torrey,  by 
his  landlady.  At  the  time  of  this  joint  attempt  to  escape,  South- 
muyd  becomes  the  confidant  of  Torrey,  and  subsequently,  when 
he  thinks  proper  to  communicate  with  Mr.  Heckrotte,  he  states 
facts  which  have  never  been  published  in  any  newspaper  in  the 
city  of  Baltimore  ;  facts  that  he  could  have  had  from  no  one  but 
Torrey,  or  by  special  revelation  ;  but  according  to  the  counsel 
on  the  other  side,  he  is  not  the  man  to  whom  a  mysterious  reve 
lation  is  at  all  likely  to  be  made.  Therefore  I  say,  though  he  is 
black  as  Erebus,  some  good  may  come  out  of  Nazareth,  and  the 
devil  himself  may  speak  the  truth.  Mr.  Richardson  read  South- 


200  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

mayd's  letter  to  Mr.  Heckrotte ;  referred  to  the  statements  there 
in  contained,  relative  to  the  old  negro  at  the  back  of  the  ceme 
tery,  the  washing  the  horse  in  Deer  creek,  the  arrest  of  Torrey 
and  the  taking  away  of  his  pistols,  and  called  upon  the  defence 
to  show  that  these  things  were  not  so.  He  contended  that  they 
carne  from  Torrey,  and  that  Sonthmayd  could  have  had  them 
from  no  other  source.  He  spoke  of  the  persuasion  necessary  to 
get  the  old  woman  away  from  her  master,  corresponding  with  the 
account  given  by  Mr.  Heckrotte,  of  the  agreeable  relations  in 
which  they  lived,  until  the  peace  and  harmony  of  the  family  was 
invaded  by  the  evil  day  in  which  the  prisoner  introduced  him 
self.  And  he  would  venture  to  say  that  they  are  far  less  happy 
at  their  present  abode  than  they  were  under  the  roof  of  a  kind 
and  indulgent  master. 

A  word  more  and  I  have  done,  said  Mr.  R.  I  am  not  here  to 
speak  of  the  private  relations  of  the  prisoner  with  any  other  in 
dividual.  It  is  unhappily  too  frequently  the  case  that  in  the  ad 
ministration  of  wholesome  justice,  the  innocent  must  suffer  with 
the  guilty.  Admit  that  the  pangs  to  be  inflicted  on  another  are 
agonizing,  if  you  will,  but  if  this  consideration  is  to  produce  any 
effect  upon  you  adverse  to  your  convictions  of  justice,  the  guilty 
hereafter  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  plead  that  in  their  punish 
ment  the  pangs  of  anguish  are  to  be  inflicted  upon  the  partners 
of  their  lives,  to  escape  the  penalty  of  their  crimes.  You  can  sym 
pathize  with  her,  gentlemen,  you  must ;  with  all  the  anxiety  of 
your  minds  you  may  feel  and  dwell  upon  the  intense  anguish 
which  your  verdict  may  inflict  upon  the  wife,  but  you  must  ren 
der  that  verdict  in  conformity  with  the  obligations  of  your  oath. 

Mr.  Johnson  has  told  you  that  Torrey  is  no  ordinary  culprit, 
that  he  is  a  graduate  of  one  of  our  first  universities,  and  was  in 
early  life  and  for  many  years  a  distinguished  minister  of  the  gos 
pel  in  the  glorious  old  State  of  Massachusetts.  Devoted  to  the 
study  of  God's  law.  Has  he  done  so  ?  And  has  he  not  learned 
that  that  law  binds  him  equally  to  God  and  the  community  in 
which  he  lives  ?  One  of  the  counsel  has  said  that  for  the  viola 
tion  of  the  law  of  man  he  will  stand  justified  before  God.  Let 
me  tell  him  that  he  knows  of  no  law  that  separates  the  citizen 
from  the  Christian.  If  I  know  anything  of  God's  law,  it  requires 
every  man  to  perform  well  all  the  relations  of  life.  What  has  the 
chief  apostle  of  them  all  instructed  us? — Wives,  obey  your  hus 
bands;  husbands,  love  your  wives;  children,  reverence  your  pa 
rents  ;  parents,  teach  your  children  ;  servants,  obey  your  masters, 
not  rendering  them  eye-service — I  speak  not  the  letter,  but  the 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORREY.  201 

spirit  of  the  sentiment — but  obedience  in  all  things.  Here,  then, 
all  the  relations  of  life  are  inculcated  and  commended.  Further 
says  the  apostle: — Obey  your  rulers;  the  powers  that  be  are  or 
dained  of  God.  Thus,  then,  if  you  disobey  your  rulers,  you  vio 
late  the  ordinance  of  God.  Are  not  the  laws  of  the  land,  and  the 
magistrates  by  whom  they  are  administered,  to  be  respected  ? 
Am  I  to  he  told  that  the  man  who  lives  in  the  constant  violation 
of  the  laws  of  the  land,  is  doing  his  duty  !  Vain  man  !  who  told 
you  that  God's  ordinances  are  higher  than  the  laws  of  man  ? 
Who  made  you  the  judge  of  your  fellows  ?  In  this  country, 
from  the  Supreme  court  down  to  the  lowest  tribunal,  the  insti 
tution  in  question  has  had  sanction  and  protection.  And  can  he 
reconcile  it  to  his  conscience  to  live  in  open  or  in  secret  violation 
of  the  acknowledged  law  ?  But  peradventure,  he  may  think  the 
law  of  God  is  higher  than  the  law  of  man  ;  and  it  was  said  that 
he  will  stand  justified  before  the  bar  of  God.  And  moreover, 
peradventure,  it  is  said  he  thought  he  was  doing  God  service ! 
Ah  !  did  he  so  ?  In  the  book  from  which  he  learned  God's  law, 
he  will  find  that  bright  and  glorious  intellect  which  illuminated 
the  mind  of  Saul  of  Tarsus,  deceived  by  the  same  vain  imagining. 
Saul  of  Tarsus,  who  was  afterwards  the  chiefest  of  the  apostles, 
was  on  his  way  to  Damascus,  to  persecute  the  lowly  followers 
of  Jesus;  but  suddenly  he  saw  a  light  from  heaven,  a  light  that 
illuminated  at  once  his  intellect  and  reason ;  he  heard  the  ac 
companying  words,  "  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?" 
and  looking  up  he  saw  in  that  bright  light  the  lowly  Nazarene, 
exhibiting  himself  to  his  enraptured  gaze,  the  Savior  of  mankind  ! 
The  honest  Jew  saw,  by  the  mysterious  illumination  of  his  mind, 
the  error  of  his  ways — he,  too,  thought  he  was  doing  God  service. 
That  bright  and  glorious  intellect,  which  afterwards  irradiated 
the  whole  Christian  world,  was  mistaken  in  its  zeal.  Let  no  vain 
man  think  that  he  is  doing  God  service,  when  he  comes  in  con 
flict  with  man's  laws  ordained  by  his  own  people. 

Gentlemen  of  the  jury,  if  you  can  acquit  the  traverser,  in  the 
name  of  God,  do  it !  But  let  me  caution  you  that  you  allow  no 
excitement,  either  here  or  elsewhere,  to  operate  upon  your  ver 
dict. 

Mr.  Richardson  handed  the  indictment  to  the  jury,  when  the 
foreman  asked  if  they  were  to  find  the  offence  committed  in  the 
city  of  Baltimore.  Mr.  Richardson  told  them  they  must,  and 
handed  them  the  act  of  Assembly. 

They  then  retired  to  their  room,  it  being  about  twelve  o'clock. 
The  jury  returned  into  court  about  twenty  minutes  before  two 


202  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

o'clock,  having  agreed  upon  a  verdict  finding  the  prisoner  guilty, 
on  every  indictment. 

Mr.  Cox,  of  counsel  for  the  defence,  immediately  rose  and  sub 
mitted  a  motion  in  arrest  of  judgment  and  for  a  new  trial. 

Counsel  for  the  State,  George  R.  Richardson,  Esq.,  for  the  de 
fence,  Reverdy  Johnson,  Nathaniel  Cox  arid  Francis  Gallagher, 
Esqs. 

The  evening  after  his  conviction,  Mr.  Torrey  addressed 
the  following  letter  to  the  editor  of  the  Morning  Chronicle. 

Baltimore  Jail,  Dec.  3,  1844. 

"Well,  I  am  convicted;  and,  of  course,  liable,  on  each  in 
dictment,  to  six  years'  imprisonment  in  the  penitentiary. 

"  My  counsel  gave  immediate  notice  of  a  motion  for  arrest 
of  judgment,  on  the  ground  of  a  legal  defect  in  the  indict 
ment.  But  I  do  not  believe  that  will  be  of  any  service, 
though  I  have  little  doubt  that  the  grounds  of  the  motion  are 
legally  correct.  It  is,  that  the  indictment  fails  to  state  that, 
in  the  words  of  the  statute,  I  am  a  '-free  person?  In  States 
where  the  quibbles  of  the  old  common  law  practice  and  '  spe 
cial  pleading'  prevail,  I  have  no  doubt  the  objection  is  a  good 
one.  Massachusetts,  most  wisely  and  justly,  set  aside  all 
such  proceedings,  by  that  measure  of  legal  reform  which  Rob 
ert  Rantoul,  Jr.  carried  through  the  legislature. 

"  Even  should  the  motion  result  in  my  discharge,  it  will  not 
change  my  settled  opinion  as  to  the  bad  and  corrupting  ten 
dency  of  such  proceedings.  I  submit  to  having  the  motion 
made  with  the  greatest  reluctance ;  albeit,  I  do  not  believe 
the  court  will  yield  to  it,  plain  as  1  am  told  the  matter  is, 
where  such  legal  technics  have  not  been  abolished  by  statute. 

"  Notice  was  given  of  a  motion  for  a  new  trial.  But  this 
my  family,  and  other  friends,  urge  me  not  to  press. 

"  I  say,  without  hesitation,  that,  as  a  mere  criminal  pro 
ceeding,  I  should  have  given  the  same  verdict,  had  I  been  a 
juror,  on  the  unimpeached  evidence  of  those  reprobate  Rig- 
dons.  Still,  I  know  that  the  entire  evidence  they  gave,  so 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORREY.  203 

far  as  it  related  to  the  charge,  was  perjured,  as  was  the  whole 
of  the  wretched  Hatch's  testimony  and  that  of  young  Heck- 
rotte,  so  far  as  it  refers  to  me.  Some  part  of  their  perjuries 
could  easily  be  proved — as,  for  example,  all  that  Samuel  F. 
Rigdon  said  of  seeing,  me  '  with  whole  loads  of  negroes'  in 
April,  May,  and  November,  1843,  when  10,000  people  of  New 
York  and  New  England,  know  just  as  well  as  they  know  the 
existence  of  the  sun  in  heaven,  that  I  was  not  within  two 
hundred  miles  of  Maryland. 

"  The  jury  did  not  believe  the  evidence  of  young  Heck- 
rotte  or  Hatch ;  but  relied  on  the  identity  of  the  horses  and 
carnage,  the  ribbon  matter,  and  the  Rigdons'  testimony,  which, 
as  I  before  said,  is  perjured  in  regard  to  all  that  refers  to  hav 
ing  seen  me  with  three  negroes  ;  or  their  having  seen  Heck- 
rotte's  boy  at  all ;  which  none  of  them  ever  did,  or  any  man 
resembling  him  in  dress,  color,  stature,  features  or  age  ;  or 
in  regard  to  the  tooth  of  the  '  old  woman/  or  the  dress  of 
either  mother  or  daughter. 

"  In  all  these  items  I  know  they  swore  falsely.  As  to  a 
considerable  portion  of  the  other  items,  I  do  not  know  whether 
or  not  the  witnesses  swore  truly,  as  they  are  strangers  to  me. 
The  entire  ribbon  business,  I  am  deeply  persuaded,  was  a 
shrewd  trick,  concocted  in  this  city  on  the  first  visit  of  the 
Rigdons. 

"  My  counsel,  as  convinced  of  the  falsehood  of  the  testi 
mony  of  these  men  as  I  am,  deem  it  hardly  probable  that  it 
can  be  so  entirely  destroyed  as  to  prevent  a  second  conviction. 
The  credibility  of  two  of  the  Rigdons,  the  old  man,  Sam, 
and  Robert,  could  be  easily  destroyed. —  George  has  more  per 
sons  of  reputation,  who,  from  the  character  he  formerly  de 
served,  still  believe  his  legal  veracity  good.  So,  on  the  whole, 
they  advise  submission  to  the  verdict,  in  case  their  motion  in 
arrest  of  judgment  fails. 

"  Richardson's  plea  was  able,  and,  on  the  whole,  very  fair 
and  manly.  The  only  exception  I  would  make  to  this  is, 


204  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

that  he  persisted  in  sustaining  the  testimony  of  the  reprobate 
Hatch.  I  do  not  think  he  really  put  any  confidence  in  it. 
He  only  undertook  to  sustain  it  on  this  ground,  viz.,  that  some 
of  Hatch's  statements  must  have  been  derived  from  me.  The 
particular  items  he  referred  to,  were  nearly  the  same  that 
were  contained  in  the  testimony  of  the  two  Rigdons  on  my 
arrest,  and  of  which  I  had  often  spoken,  to  forty  people,  so 
they  were  already  public  matters.  The  only  exceptions  to 
this  were  three.  1.  A  certain  'old  Nick,'  a  colored  black 
smith,  was  referred  to.  I  know  not  where  he  got  this  ;  for  I 
never  heard  of  such  a  man  myself,  till  Sam  Davis  named  him, 
in  confessing  to  me  the  scoundrelism  Hatch  and  he,  and  Heck- 
rotte,  and  others,  had  planned  for  the  purpose  of  securing  my 
conviction.  I  set  a  man  to  work  to  find  if  there  was  such  a 
person,  but  he  could  find  no  such  man  ! 

"  The  next  particular  related  to  my  alleged  meeting  negroes 
in  a  graveyard  back  of  Greenmount  cemetery.  I  never  was 
there  but  once,  and  that  in  the  day  time,  and  alone.  When 
we  were  planning  the  attempt  to  escape,  I  remembered  that 
solitary  place,  and  fixed  on  it  as  the  place  we  would  run  for 
first,  if  we  got  out.  I  subsequently  spoke  of  it  to  many  per 
sons,  to  two  of  the  board  of  visitors,  and  others.  Hatch  got 
the  idea  of  locating  my  pretended  '  confession'  there  from 
that  source. 

"  The  third  item  is  in  regard  to  his  knowing  how  Heck- 
rotte  was  in  the  habit  of  calling  Hannah  Gooseberry  his  '  old 
woman."  Heckrotte  himself  called  her  so,  in  conversation 
with  him,  before  the  letter  was  written — /never  did.  There 
was  no  other  item  of  his  confession,  his  knowledge  of  which 
could  not  be  accounted  for,  without  any  reference  to  his  false 
*  confessions.' — This  poor  creature  was  mad  with  me  because, 
in  an  effort  to  benefit  him,  I  indirectly  gave  others  a  clue 
to  his  real  name,  though  I  then  supposed  him  to  be  Davis 
Hatch,  his  very  respectable  and  excellent  brother.  It  was 
only  so  late  as  Nov.  14,  that  I  learned  from  Horace  Dresser, 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORRET.  205 

Esq.,  his  true  name  and  character.  His  only  object  in  pro 
posing  or  agreeing  to  swear  falsely  against  me,  was  manifestly 
to  save  his  own  neck,  by  aiding  Avhat  he  supposed  was  popu 
lar  feeling  against  an  imprisoned  abolitionist.  In  his  testi 
mony,  he  unintentionally  admitted  his  own  identity  with 
'James  Wilson,'  under  which  name  he  stands  indicted  here 
for  stealing  a  horse  and  sleigh.  His  counsel  had  previously 
got  another  theft  of  a  horse  and  gig  settled  by  arbitration. 

"  Why  am  I  thus  minute  ?  It  is  that  none  of  my  friends 
may  ever,  from  any  unexplained  items,  deem  me  guilty  of  the 
stupid  folly  of  putting  myself  in  the  power  of  this  man,  by 
any  such  *  confession'  as  he  falsely  swore  to. 

"  He  also  speaks  of  Patterson's  negroes.  Such  a  man 
came  to  the  window  one  day  and  charged  me  with  aiding 
some  of  his  slaves  to  escape.  This  Hatch  knew.  Patter 
son  saw  Hatch  before  the  trial.  But  I  was  not  within  450 
miles  of  Maryland  (being  in  Western  New  York),  when  Pat 
terson's  first  slaves  left,  according  to  his  advertisement  in  the 
Sun.  Indeed,  I  think  on  that  very  day  I  was  in  the  house 
of  Henry  Bradley,  of  Penn  Yan,  Yates  county.  He  had 
another  run  off  last  spring  or  winter,  when  I  was  in  Philadel 
phia.  When  I  came  to  Baltimore,  April  15th,  or  17th,  his 
advertisements  for  her  were  still  in  the  prints.  But  I  never 
saw  her,  or  any  of  the  others. 

"Do  you  want  to  know  how  I  feel  towards  these  perjured 
beings  and  others,  to  whom  I  owe  my  imprisonment  ?  1  re 
ply,  I  feel  kindly,  forgivingly.  Some  of  them  I  deeply  com 
miserate  for  their  awful  guilt,  before  God.  I  cannot  help 
pitying  poor  Hatch,  very  much.  I  tried,  by  several  hints,  to 
give  him  warning  of  what  an  exposure  awaited  him;  but  it 
only  seemed  to  make  him  more  brazen  in  crime.  Who  but 
must  pity  such  a  man  !  Could  I  be  freed  to-night,  by  taking 
upon  my  soul  one  tithe  of  his  guilt  and  future  remorse,  I 
would  not  do  it ;  no,  not  for  more  than  all  life  itself  ever  had 
or  could  have  to  induce  me.  And  so  I  feel  towards  youn» 

18 


206  MEMOIR  OF   TORREY. 

Heckrotte  and  those  Rigdons.  The  latter,  professional  slave- 
catchers  by  occupation,  belong  to  the  most  degraded  class  of 
southern  society.  You  have  no  corresponding  class  in  the 
North — only  here  and  there  individuals,  who  might  rank  with 
these  border  blood-hounds,  and  with  what  Wirt  so  justly  called 
the  '  feculum  of  the  creation/  viz.,  plantation  overseers. 

"  No,  thank  God !  freedom  has  no  use,  no  occupations  to 
call  into  existence  classes  of  such  beings,  within  her  domains. 
May  Maryland  soon  cease  to  have  such  creatures  within  her 
borders  !  Slavery  done  away,  this  would  soon  become  a  glo 
rious  State ;  though,  no  doubt,  a  generation  would  pass  away 
before  the  dreadful  social  immoralities  that  follow  in  the  train 
of  slavery  would  disappear. 

"  Do  you  ask,  '  Have  you  any  thing  to  regret,  in  what  you 
have  done,  whether  for  individual  slaves,  or  the  cause  of  free 
dom?'  No,  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  NO  !  According 
to  the  light  given  me,  and  the  degree  of  physical  and  mental 
powers  I  possessed,  I  have  labored  faithfully,  and  as  wisely 
as  I  knew  how.  If  others  have  been  wiser,  it  is  because  God 
made  them  so.  If  they  have  done  mare,  it  is  because  he  gave 
them  higher  powers  and  ampler  opportunities  for  action. 

"  On  another  topic  I  wish  to  say  a  few  words.  This 
wretched  Hatch,  among  other  fictions,  coined  pretended 
'  threats'  against  the  lives  of  Heckrotte  and  the  keepers,  etc. 
Those  who  have  known  my  life,  and  opinions,  and  actions, 
from  infancy,  will  readily  class  this  with  the  '  six  5-barrelled 
pistols'  story,  which  appeared  in  a  Philadelphia  paper,  I  am 
told,  after  my  attempt  to  escape.  I  was  thinking  of  it  yester 
day,  as  a  singular  fact,  that  one  with  so  large  an  organ  of 
combativeness  as  I  possess,  and  as  enthusiastically  as  I  loved 
the  driest  details  of  military  science,  from  my  earliest  remem 
brance  till  I  was  twenty  years  old,  (nay,  I  do  still  think  such 
books  far  more  amusing  than  novels  !) — I  say,  that  in  all  my 
life,  I  never  had  a  quarrel  with  any  one.  No  one,  I  believe, 
ever  suspected  me  of  any  want  of  physical  or  moral  courage, 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORREY.  207 

to  do  any  act  whatever,  dangerous  or  not.  Yet  I  solemnly 
declare,  that  from  ray  infancy  to  this  hour,  I  never  raised  my 
hand  or  finger,  or  used  any  weapon  or  instrument  whatever, 
in  violence  against  any  human  being  !  (Unless  the  correc 
tion  of  my  children  and  pupils  in  school  be  so  deemed  ;  I  am 
of  Solomons  creed  on  these  topics  !)  I  never  even  threat 
ened  violence  to  any  one.  In  my  boyhood,  I  avoided  the  rude 
sports  of  my  playmates.  In  one  instance  only  in  my  life, 
did  I  ever  wrestle  with  any  one.  That  was  with  my  friend 
and  school-fellow,  a  good  abolitionist,  Wm.  P.  Briggs,  of  Scit- 
uate.  Has  he  forgotten  the  wrestling  bout,  in  the  ploughed 
field,  in  the  young  orchard  north  of  his  father's  house,  at 
Scituate,  or  how  he  whipped  me  ?  Happy  boys  were  we 
then  ;  little  dreaming  of  the  future  that  might  await  us ; 
what  opinions  of  morals,  politics,  religion,  we  should  cherish  ; 
what  labors  and  toils  for  ourselves  or  others  we  should  per 
form  or  endure  ;  what  our  social  relations  might  be,  or  our 
destiny,  freedom  to  him  or  a  prison  to  me.  For  years,  those 
bright  days  of  boyhood  had  almost  passed  from  memory,  till 
my  lonely  hours  in  prison  revived  them.  How  many  of  all 
the  dear  companions  we  loved  are  already  in  their  graves  ! — 
How  many  more  we  shall  never  meet  again  !  *  Meet  again  ?' 
1  am  in  prison.  Years  will  probably  elapse  before  /  shall 
again  see  cheerful  faces,  and  hear  any  of  the  happy  voices  of 
infancy,  or  the  tones  of  my  own  dear  children.  Even  they, 
if  I  live,  will  have  forgotten  their  father's  features,  even  if 
love  preserves  his  memory.  How  have  I  wandered  away  ! 
I  began  with  referring  to  my  habitual  and  uniform  avoidance 
of  both  violence  and  threats  of  it,  both  because  I  was  falsely 
accused  and  because  a  friend  told  me  the  reports  equally  false 
and  idle,  at  the  time  of  my  attempted  escape,  had  wounded 
some  friends  whose  regard  I  highly  cherish,  and  I  ended 
with  dreams  of  my  early  youth! 

"Whether  my  future   business  will  be  silk  weaving   or 
jeans,  I  know  not.      Of  one  thing  I  am  sure,  these  wiseacres 


208  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

of  Maryland  have  subjected  me,  in  prospect,  to  what  to  me 
is  the  severest  possible  torture,  mental  inaction. 

"  Did  you  ever  think  of  the  real  nature  of  the  really  im 
proved  system  of  prison  discipline  ?  Of  its  forced  silence  for 
years  ?  Of  its  utter  deprivation  of  any  considerable  degree 
of  knowledge,  or  any  other  source  of  activity  of  mind  ?  Of 
the  stopping  of  all  progress  in  the  knowledge  of  the  world's 
history,  literature,  arts,  social  improvements,  and  religious 
events  ?  How  certainly  a  prisoner,  by  the  violation  of  near 
ly  every  great  law  of  his  moral,  mental  and  social  nature,  is 
forced  down  towards  mental  imbecility  ?  Do  you  know  how 
many  of  the  '  reformed'  prisoners  leaving  our  better  classes  of 
prisons,  commit  no  crime,  indeed,  because  they  have  no  long 
er  energy  either  for  good  or  evil  ?  How  many,  very  many, 
are  pardoned  merely  to  diminish  the  per  centum  of  actual 
deaths  in  prison  ? 

"  Do  you  know,  either  from  conversing  with  discharged 
prisoners  or  from  other  sources,  the  secret  horrors  of  the 
*  cat'  and  '  shower  bath',  and  solitary  cells  without  food  ?  And 
do  you  know  how  many  years  of  bodily  labor,  cheered  by  no 
sympathy,  no  hope,  no  reward,  break  down  the  physical  na 
ture  of  a  man  ? 

"  Do  not  suppose  I  suggest  these  queries  because  such  is 
to  be  my  own  doom.  That  I  can  meet,  and  live  or  die,  as 
God  pleases.  I  have  been  gradually  gathering  up  facts  and 
ideas,  for  some  years,  which  I  had  hoped  this  summer  to 
throw  into  the  form  of  an  Essay  on  Crime  and  Punishment, 
to  show  that  the  *  Auburn'  or  *  Philadelphia'  systems  of  prison 
discipline,  in  removing  some  of  the  more  obvious  evils  of  the 
old  system,  and  adding  some  good  things,  had  only  substitu 
ted,  for  the  most  part,  one  evil  for  another ;  and  that  its  vio 
lations  of  the  higher  laws  of  man's  nature  were  even  more 
disastrous,  because  less  obvious  to  the  unreflecting.  Just  as 
the  miasma  that  caused  the  cholera  is  more  to  be  dreaded 
than  the  fetor  of  a  stagnant  pond.  Obvious  evils  may  be 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORRET. 

readily  corrected.  To  reform  men,  labor  must  be  the  inci 
dental  duty ;  moral,  social,  and  mental  cultivation  and  in 
struction,  the  great  business  of  the  prison.  Now  it  is  just  the 
reverse.  Our  excellent  friend,  Louis  Dwight,  deems  it  the 
great  defect  of  the  l  Auburn'  system,  that  no  provision  is 
made  for  reformed  and  discharged  convicts.  For  a  time  I 
was  much  taken  with  his  views.  There  would  be  a  further 
removal  of  a  few  more  glaring  evils,  by  such  measures  as  he 
suggests.  But  reflection,  many  facts,  carefully  weighed,  and, 
since,  reviewed,  in  almost  six  months  of  life  inside  of  a  pris 
on,  have  slowly  produced  a  conviction  not  to  be  easily  shak 
en,  that  the  system  itself  contains,  after  all,  the  seeds  of  the 
destruction  of  every  thing  good  and  noble  in  man's  nature. — 
Man  is  there  subjected  to,  virtually,  despotic  power ;  cut  off 
from  all  possible  ways  of  acting  out  one  right,  good,  or  pure 
social  feeling  or  moral  or  spiritual  impulse ;  his  intellect  fet 
tered  far  more  than  his  body  ;  and  both  mind  and  body  made 
the  mere  laboring  machines  to  grind  out  profit  to  the  State  ; 
to  toil  unpaid,  without  adding  by  labor  to  one's  own,  or  the 
happiness  of  one  human  being ;  without  sympathy  or  words 
of  cheer,  but  simply  as  a  penalty.  No,  the  penalty  is  not  the 
labor,  but  the  other  circumstances  under  which  it  is  per 
formed. 

"  Think  over  these  topics — look  into  them  ;  not  for  my 
sake,  but  for  humanity's  and  God's.  Restraint  and  reform 
are  the  mottoes  of  the  Auburn  system.  Pity,  not  penalty,  is 
deemed  its  chief  element.  It  supposes,  in  theory,  that '  ven 
geance' — the  penalty  for  sin — belongs  to  God.  Its  practice 
is  only  a  refinement  of  the  tortures  of  the  inquisition. 

"  '  Do  you  forget  the  Sabbath  and  its  rest,  and  religious  in 
stitutions  ?'  No,  I  forget  not  the  almost  mockery  of  them  all, 
in  our  prisons.  It  is  a  transient  gleam  of  right  and  light, 
shining  over  a  dark  and  evil  system.  Nor  do  I  forget  that  this, 
with  the  other  parts  of  the  system,  produces  that  quiescence 
of  passion,  and  submissive  imbecility  and  dreariness,  that  the 
18* 


210  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 

chaplains  sometimes,  and  the  prisoners  oftener  mistake  for 
reform  and  concession.  That  some  of  the  '  reforms'  are  sound, 
I  deny  not.  That  some  physical  and  mental  constitutions  are 
not  impaired  seriously  by  the  system,  I  know.  So  too,  I  know 
-that  Donald  McDonald  died  one  day,  at  Lynn,  aged  121 
years,  100  of  which  he  had  been  a  common  drunkard.  And 
I  know,  too,  that  most  of  our  wise  and  good  men,  are  so  per 
suaded  of  the  almost  perfection  of  the  '  Auburn'  system,  that 
they  will  hardly  be  patient  at  suggestions  like  mine,  at  first. 
I  have  been  surprised  to  see  how  facile  good  men  were  in 
closing  their  eyes  to  such  atrocities  as  leaked  out  in  connec 
tion  with  the  removal  of  Elam  Lynds  from  Auburn,  and  af 
terwards  from  Sing  Sing.  And  how  blind  they  have  been 
to  all  the  demonstrated  results  of  the  system  which  the  *  Me 
chanics'  Associations'  have  spread  before  the  world,  in  their 
efforts  to  relieve  their  trades — not  from  a  mere  business 
competition  with  ex-prisoners,  but  the  debasement  of  prison 
morals  !  I  know  a  bad  spirit,  an  unmerciful  spirit,  has  often 
appeared  in  their  papers.  Their  plans  of  reform,  as  developed 
in  the  new  Clinton  Co.  prison,  involve  no  change  in  the  system, 
but  only  the  transfer  of  its  evils  to  other  classes  of  men,  carry 
out  their  views,  and  '  sinner'  and  '  felon'  will  be  synonymous 
in  twenty  years.  But  enough  of  this.  Some  years  hence,  if 
I  live,  and  am  not  so  broken  down  as  I  have  seen  strong  men, 
by  two  years  of  '  reformed'  discipline,  in  both  body  and  mind, 
as  to  prevent  my  doing  it,  I  may  be  able  to  record  the  results 
of  a  personal  experience  of  a  system,  the  evil  nature  of  which 
I  am  deeply  convinced  of. 

"  To  my  many,  many  friends,  who,  by  letters  of  sympa 
thy,  contributions  of  money,  personal  visits,  and  messages  of 
kindness,  have  made  my  long  imprisonment  in  this  old  jail 
less  grievous,  nay,  often  the  source  of  the  highest  gratification, 
I  can  only  express  my  heartfelt  gratitude  for  their  kindness 
and  affection.  May  God  do  so  to  them,  in  the  hour  of  their 
need !  And  may  that  Savior  who  has  not  forgotten  me  in  my 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORRE Y.  211 

prison,  be  the  source  of  light,  peace  and  loving  activity  to  them, 
in  their  freedom.  I  hope  (though  I  expect  to  pass  from  most 
minds  as  a  '  nine  days'  talk')  that  some  of  those  with  whom  I 
have  often  taken  sweet  counsel,  will  continue  to  remember 
their  brother  in  bonds,  when  they  visit  the  mercy  seat.  I 
cannot  write,  individually,  again  to  my  numerous  correspond 
ents,  or  to  any,  save  my  relatives,  or  on  such  business  as  my 
little  remnant  of  freedom  shall  make  needful.  Sometimes  I 
am  anxious  about  my  own  dear  wife  and  children.  But  I 
leave  them  in  God's  hands,  confident  that  he  will  be  better 
than  father  and  husband  to  them.  To-night  my  wife  parted 
from  me — not  to  meet  again,  perhaps — I  say,  probably, 
while  we  live.  God  bless  her  \  Had  crime  parted  us,  she 
would,  no  doubt,  have  wept  bitter  tears.  Help  her,  'true 
yoke-fellows,'  in  those  literary  exertions  on  which  she  must 
probably  rely,  for  the  future  support  of  herself  and  our  little 
ones. 

"  I  want  still  to  say  one  word  of  cheer  to  my  fellow-laborers. 
The  intense  and  universal  excitement  in  this  city  connected 
with  my  trial,  will,  I  trust,  do  some  good.  Anti-slavery,  for 
once,  has  been  made  the  topic  of  eager  debate  in  every  bar 
room  and  eating-house,  and  its  most  radical  principles  have 
not  wanted  defenders,  in  all  circles  ;  not  to  mention  the  more 
influential  classes,  in  which  similar  excitement  and  divided 
feelings  have  been  manifested.  So  that,  notvdthstanding  my 
case  lias  been  dealt  with  as  one  of  mere  ordinary  criminal  ju 
risprudence,  the  issues  involved  have  not  been  forgotten,  and 
I  believe  God  will  not  suffer  them  to  be  so,  till  in  1850,  the 
LAW  OF  LIBERTY  shall  be  proclaimed  from  the  capitol  of  Ma 
ryland.  If  God  has  '  ten  faithful  men'  in  all  this  State,  that 
year  will  see  Maryland  free,  her  slave-prisons  demolished, 
her  slave-jails  empty,  her  overseers  and  blood-hound  Rig- 
dons  and  their  likes,  if  not  penitent,  yet  starved  into  better 
business  ;  her  slave-traders  banished,  the  blight  on  her  pros 
perity,  the  bane  of  her  morals,  removed,  and  equal  laws  ex- 


212  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

tended  over  all  her  citizens.  Mark  it  well !  1850  is  the  set 
time  !  I  write  in  the  same  old  jail  where,  in  the  heart  of  that 
noble  man, — whom,  with  all  his  faults,  we  love  and  honor  still, 
— Wm.  L.  Garrison,  God  commenced  the  present  abolition 
movement. — The  final  battle-ground  may  yet  be  round  this 
same  old  jail !  From  this  jail,  I  entreat  the  different  classes 
of  abolitionists  to  lay  aside  '  all  wrath,  clamor,  and  evil  speak 
ing'  of  each  other ;  to  '  love  as  brethren,'  if  their  differing  judg 
ments  will  not  always  allow  them  to  labor  together.  Let  each 
in  his  own  way,  work  for  the  slave,  without  finding  fault  with 
each  other's  plans,  or  suspecting  each  other's  spirit  or  faith 
fulness.  As  to  the  '  old'  and  *  new'  organizations,  the  Liberty 
party  and  the  non-voting  party,  I  solemnly  declare  my  con 
viction  that  one  heart,  one  spirit,  one  object,  one  purpose  ani 
mates,  not  only  the  ;  leaders',  but  the  entire  mass  of  both  par 
ties,  with  no  more  individual  exceptions  than  we  find  where- 
ever  human  infirmity  is  connected  with,  and  striving  for,  any 
good  and  noble  end.  We  all  differ  on  a  thousand  other  topics, 
and,  when  we  come  together  to  act  for  the  slave,  we  cannot 
leave  our  coats  at  home  !  We  cannot  cast  off  our  own  indi 
viduality  of  character,  opinion,  and  habit.  But  we  can  be 
*  forbearing,  kind,  gentle,  easy  to  be  entreated.'  That  God 
has  overruled  our  past  strifes  for  the  furtherance  of  the  cause, 
does  not  justify  the  many,  many  exhibitions  of  a  bad  spirit 
that  accompanied  those  strifes,  as  much  in  one  as  in  the  oth 
er  *  organization  ;'  and  which  made  division  and  evil— other 
wise  it  is  none  ;  it  merely  multiplies  laborers  and  forms  of  ac 
tivity.  *  Suffer  the  word  of  exhortation,'  brethren,  to  peace, 
cordiality,  co-operation,  where  it  can  be,  and  an  imitation  of 
Abraham  and  Lot,  where  union  of  action  is  not  possible. — 
The  day  of  jubilee  will  come  the  sooner.  O,  if  I  had  never 
known  aught  of  the  effects  of  slavery  on  the  morals,  happi 
ness  and  welfare  of  man,  but  what  my  eyes  have  seen  and 
my  ears  heard  in  this  jail,  I  would  vow  to  it,  and  make  my 
children  vow  undying,  active  enmity,  without  an  hour's  rest, 


THE  TRIAL  OF  MR.  TORRE Y.  213 

till  not  a  slave  cursed  the  land  with  his  tears,  or  blasted  its 
fields  with  his  blood.  'Tis  the  slave's  blood  and  sweat  that 
cover  the  South  with  ( old  fields,'  «  barrens',  and  decayed  and 
log  houses,  where  comfort  is  never  known,  where  ignorance 
reigns,  where  misery  dwells ;  where  even  religion  consists  in 
dreams,  ecstasies,  shoutings,  and  idle  meeting-going,  rather 
than  in  doing  the  will  of  God  from  the  heart. 

"  One  thing  I  beg  my  brethren  to  do.  Wait  not  for  politi 
cal  ascendency  in  the  North,  or  for  the  reform  or  overturn  of 
all  our  pro-slavery  ecclesiastical  bodies,  before  resuming  the 
most  direct,  and  active,  and  universal  efforts  to  diffuse  our 
views  and  principles,  by  means  of  the  press  and  otherwise,  in 
the  SLAVE  STATES.  Now,  the  public  mind,  all  over  the 
South,  is  prepared  to  receive  the  truth  with  infinitely  more 
calmness  and  intelligence  than  it  was  in  1832-8,  when  such  a 
flood  of  publications  was  issued.  Let  that  flood  of  books, 
pamphlets,  tracts  and  essays  flow  forth  again.  Get  5000  prom 
inent  names  in' every  State — it  can  be  easily  done — and  visit 
them  monthly  with  the  truth.  Every  thing  anti-slavery  is 
now  eagerly  read  in  the  South.  The  desire  to  read  is  far 
ahead  of  the  supply  of  proper  reading  on  the  subject.  '  Con 
sider  what  I  say.'  Where  are  the  idle  stereotype  plates  of 
liberty  ? 

"  I  did  intend  to  reply  to  the  voices  of  sympathy  that  came 
to  my  cell  from  across  the  water,  from  the  land  whence  my 
puritan  soldier-ancestor,  *  Lieutenant  James  Torrey,'  fled, 
in  1629,  to  find  religious  freedom,  in  the  wild  woods  of 
what  is  now  my  native  Scituate.  Now,  the  once  tyrant 
mother-land  teaches  the  daughter  lessons  in  the  science  of 
personal  freedom  and  equal  laws,  to  guard  the  poor  in  the 
quiet  possession  of  it.  But  I  cannot  even  reply  to  that  docu 
ment  which  bears,  written  in  tremulous  characters,  the  prae 
clarum  et  veneraUle  nomen  of  THOMAS  CLARKSON,  and  the 
kind  note  from  JOHN  SCOBLE,  which  accompanied  it.  But 
your  paper  will  tell  that  honored  brother,  and  the  venerable 


214  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

father  of  the  anti-slavery  cause,  that  I  shall  leave  it  with  my 
children  to  teach  them  that  a  felon's  prison,  for  the  slave's 
sake,  does  not  deprive  their  father  of  the  respect  of  those 
whose  approval  is  honor. 

Farewell !  CHARLES  T.  TORREY, 

31  years  old,  Nov.  21,  1844. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

LETTERS  FROM  THE  PENITENTIARY. 

The  sentence  upon  Mr.  Torrey  was  suspended  for  nearly 
one  month.  During  a  fortnight  of  this  time,  he  wrote  that 
wonderful  little  book,  called  "  Home,"  or  "  The  Pilgrim's 
Faith  revived."  It  was  a  wonder  to  many  that  he  could  write 
such  a  book  at  all.  It  will  be  a  matter  of  astonishment  to  all 
who  read  a  book  of  two  hundred  and  fifty-five  pages,  that  it 
should  have  been  written  by  a  prisoner  in  twelve  days.  He 
was  finally,  sentenced  to  six  years  hard  labor  in  the  State 
Penitentiary,  and  removed  there  to  suffer  and  finally  to  die, 
upon  the  30th  day  of  December,  1844.  Cut  off  from  the 
world — cut  off  from  his  family  for  helping  others  out  of  bon 
dage  into  the  world  of  freedom — for  uniting  a  happy  family, 
cut  off  from  his  own. 

"  Nor  wife  nor  children  ever  more  shall  see  !" 

He  was  treated  in  all  respects  as  humanely  as  the  rules  of 
the  prison  would  allow  ;  and  was  permitted  to  write  to  his 
family  and  friends. 

The  following  letters  will  show  how  he  fared  and  how  he 
felt:— 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  PENITENTIARY.  215 

Baltimore  Penitentiary,  Jan.  19,  1845. 
"  My  dear  wife, — Your  very  welcome  letter,  without  date, 
was  received  last  week.  It  has  given  me  many  hours  of  hap 
piness.  Our  blessings  are  the  more  valuable  when  we  are 
deprived  of  them.  So  your  affection  and  that  of  my  dear  lit 
tle  children,  never  seemed  so  precious  to  me  as  now,  when, 
perhaps,  for  years,  I  may  not  see  you  or  hear  your  voices 
again.  But,  whether  it  be  so  or  not,  Mizpah,  Gen.  31:  49. 
I  suppose  my  feelings  and  condition  as  a  prisoner  will  most 
interest  you.  The  last  Monday  in  1844,  I  was  conducted 
over  here,  by  Hoey  and  Mc'Kinley.  The  first  was  as  brutal 
as  ever,  and  took  occasion  to  insult  me  that  morning.  Dr. 
Snodgrass  was  kind  enough  to  come  with  me,  after  sitting 
an  hour  with  me  in  my  cell,  and  cheering  me  by  various  con 
siderations.  The  change  of  place  was  like  a  reprieve  to  a 
dying  man  !  The  officers  here  are  gentlemen,  not  brutes  and 
tyrants,  in  comparison  with  the  jailors.  I  was  received  and 
have  been  treated  with  kindness  and  sympathy,  and  my  con 
dition  made  as  pleasant  as  the  Penitentiary  system  will  allow. 
Of  that,  everything  I  have  yet  seen  and  heard  confirms  the 
views  I  expressed  in  my  letter  to  the  Chronicle,  in  December 
last.  Its  tendency  is  only  to  harden  and  brutalize  all  who  are 
the  subjects  of  it,  and  to  fit  them  to  spend  their  entire  after 
life  in  the  commission  of  crime.  Some  of  the  items  you 
wished  for,  you  will  have  received  ere  this,  in  a  letter  for 
warded  by  Mr.  Mason,  with  the  daguerreotype,  and  my  defence. 
I  will  just  say,  all  restrictions  on  the  printing  of  the  latter  are 
hereby  removed.  Let  it  make  a  part  of  the  book  you  are 
editing,  if  it  is  deemed  best.  Say  so  to  Alden.  As  to  letters, 
the  general  rule  is,  that  a  prisoner  is  allowed  to  write  to  his 
friends  once  in  three  months.  If  business  requires,  he  can 
write  more  frequently.  So  you  see  I  can  write  to  you  only. 
You  must  say  to  my  other  friends,  that,  glad  as  I  should  be  to 
do  so,  I  cannot  reply  to  their  letters.  The  new  officers,  to  be 


216  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

appointed  next  month,  however,  may  establish  different  rules, 
more  or  less  severe.  There  is  no  restriction  on  the  number 
of  letters  to  me.  But  as  to  topics,  they  must  contain  no  news 
of  the  day,  (as  it  is  one  object  of  the  system  to  make  the  priso 
ners  as  ignorant  as  possible,  and  as  unfit  for  life's  duties,  when 
they  leave  the  prison).  They  must  contain  no  remarks  on 
slavery,  or  my  imprisonment,  unless,  perdie!  some  of  my 
friends  take  a  fancy  to  exhort  me  to  repent  of  hating  shivery 
so  much  !  I  came  near  losing  a  precious  letter  from  Bro. 
Leavitt,  and  even  yours,  because  you  do  not  address  me  as  a 
criminal,  but  sympathize  with  me  as  a  man,  lawlessly  de 
prived  of  his  freedom  !  I  suppose  on  your  letters  less  prac 
tical  restriction  will  be  laid  as  to  topics.  But  you  had  better 
avoid  allusions  to  slavery.  You  must  not  forget  that  you  are 
writing  to  one  of  the  slaves  of  the  State  of  Maryland!  You 
had  better  apprize  my  friends  of  the  nature  of  these  restric 
tions,  by  a  note  in  the  Emancipator.  Tell  them  to  pay  their 
postage  always,  or  I  shall  not  get  their  letters.  Let  them  be  di 
rected  *  Care  of  Asa  Child,  Esq.,  Baltimore,  Md.,"  and  they 
will  reach  me,  after  being  read  by  the  warden,  if  in  his  judg 
ment  they  contain  nothing  improper  for  a  convict  to  read.  The 
warden  is  absolute  monarch  within  these  walls,  subject  to  the 
advice  of  the  Board  of  Inspectors.  There  is  no  practical  re 
sponsibility  to  law.  But  of  all  these  matters,  God  helping  me, 
I  shall  one  day  write,  when  I  am  free,  if  that  happy  day  shall 
ever  come.  When  a  prisoner  is  introduced  here,  his  name, 
age,  height,  marks,  cause  of  commitment,  etc.,  are  registered 
in  a  book.  He  is  divested  of  his  clothing,  washed  in  a  tub, 
and  clad  in  prison  garb.  This  consists  of  a  skull-cap  of  cot 
ton  cloth,  of  different  colors  ;  a  shirt  of  coarse  cotton  cloth, 
with  a  wide  collar  of  the  same ;  coarse  flannels,  if  ordered  by 
the  physician,  which  is  generally  granted  when  desired ;  a 
short  jacket,  pants  and  vest  of  kersey,  about  suitable  for  horse- 
blankets  in  winter  ;  striped  cotton  in  summer.  The  vest  and 
jacket  are  lined  with  white  cotton.  They  are  comfortable, 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  PENITENTIARY.  217 

though  made  in  a  slovenly  manner.     Their  color  is  grey  or 
dirt  color.     They  are  washed  once  a  year.     The  under  gar 
ments  are  changed  every  Sabbath    day.      The  prisoners  can 
wash  their  hands  and  faces  in  their  work  rooms  ;  but  no  other 
provision  is  made  for  cleanliness.     1  have  managed  to  keep 
clean,  so  far.  The  convicts  suffer  much  from  this  cause.   Their 
cells  are  eight  feet  by  four,  brick  on  every  side,   sufficiently 
cool.    They  are  arranged  on  the  walls  of  a  large  building,  in 
five  stories,  reached  by  galleries  ;  heated  by  furnaces  in  the 
centre  of  the  basement  story.    The  temperature  is  about  forty- 
five  or  fifty  degrees  in  my  cell;  just  so  as  to  keep  my  eyes, 
nose  and  lungs  irritated,  in  cold  days.      The  winter,  here,  has 
been  very  mild,  so  far.     No  snow  has  remained  on  the  ground 
thirty  hours ;  and  the  ice  has  seldom  remained  all  day.     In 
another  month  a  southern  winter  is  nearly  over.     The  bed 
consists  of  a  sack,  truckle,  with  a  sufficient  number  of  coarse 
cotton  and  woollen  coverlets  or  blankets.     There  is  no  furni 
ture  in  the  cell,  save  a  water-can  and  bucket.     The  food  is 
like  that  in  the  Charlestown  prison,  nearly,  though  not  so  well 
prepared.    My  fare  is  water,  good,  (thank  God  for  cold  water), 
a  Taunton  herring  or  two,  and  a  plenty  of  excellent  wheat 
bread ;  this  is  the  breakfast.    Bread  and  water  form  my  sup 
per.    Those  who  wish  it,  as  most  do,  have  tea  or  coffee.    The 
dinner  consists  of  a  bowl  of  soup,  some  meat  or  bacon,  with 
either  potatoes  or  turnips  ;  salt  enough  ;  pepper  three  times 
a  week,  and  molasses  on  Sunday  ;   all  coarse,  but  good,  or 
meant  to  be.     You  know  that  I  care  very  little  for  the  luxu 
ries  of  life,  though  I  enjoy  them  as  much  as  any  one ;  so  that 
these  matters  all  concern  me  very  little.     At  first  I  was  em 
ployed  in  weaving ;  but  the  labor  being  very  obviously  too 
severe  for  my  health  and  strength,  I  am  now  set  at  warping. 
When  a  little  boy,  I  used  to  see  aunt  Fanny  do  all  these 
things,  and  loved  to  help  (or  hinder)  her !     I  did  not  expect 
either  would  ever  be  my  business  for  years  !    But  the  labor  I 
care  not  for.     I  am  neither  afraid  nor  ashamed  of  working, 
19 


218  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 

so  far  as  God  gives  me  strength.  I  am  rather  better  in  health 
than  I  was  when  you  left,  and  a  good  deal  stronger.  The 
Sunday  is  the  only  holiday  for  the  prisoner.  We  have  wor 
ship,  i.  e.  preaching,  once.  No  music  is  allowed  ;  a  great  de 
privation  to  me.  I  have  found  time  to  read  the  Bible  daily, 
and  to  read  that  charming  book,  Silvio  Pellico's, '  My  Prisons/ 
Get  the  book  and  read  it,  if  you  would  know  all  a  prisoner's 
changeful  feelings,  when  he  has  no  remorse  in  his  bosom.  It 
is  one  of  the  most  charming  books  I  ever  read.  In  regard  to  the 
prospect  of  my  release,  I  can  say  very  little,  only  that  the  matter 
is  said  to  be  going  on  as  well  as  could  be  expected.  But  my 
friends  all  exhort  me  to  patience.  So  I  conclude  that  the  result 
may  not  be  so  speedy  as  we  were  led  to  hope.  Thank  God  for 
the  liberal  spirit  of  our  dear  friends  in  Providence.  It  deeply 
affected  my  heart.  God  and  his  friends  will  watch  over  you 
and  our  little  ones,  and  provide  for  you.  Trust  in  him  with 
all  the  heart,  and  do  good,  and  '  verily  ye  shall  be  fed.' 

"  I  think  only  one  of  your  recent  letters  has  miscarried.  The 
others  came  after  my  own  were  sent.  I  presume  you  have  not 
yet  seen  the  manuscript  of  my  '  HOME/  as  you  do  not  refer 
to  it.  I  presume  I  should  be  allowed  to  correct  the  proof- 
sheets,  if  it  is  needful,  when  it  is  printed.  Hasten  on  with  the 
other  book,  and  God  give  you  prosperity  in  both  these  and 
your  own  literary  efforts.  In  regard  to  my  own  feelings,  I  can 
not  write  much.  From  dark  to  day-light,  say  twelve  or  thir 
teen  hours,  we  are  in  the  cells,  without  any  lights.  I  lie  hours 
thinking  of  and  praying  for  you,  our  children,  and  our  friends. 
I  shall  try  to  adopt  some  plan  of  topics  of  thought,  to  relieve 
the  dreary  monotony  of  this  slave's  life.  If  I  could  have 
lights  and  writing  materials,  and  books  enough,  I  should  be 
quite  a  happy  prisoner.  Perhaps  God  will  provide  them  all 
ere  long,  if  I  am  to  be  continued  here.  Meantime,  I  am  gene 
rally  happy,  though  with  all  those  racing,  changeful  feelings, 
which  Pellico  so  naturally  describes.  My  mind  is  generally 
stayed  on  God.  The  Bible,  which  I  have  begun  to  study  in 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  PENITENTIARY.  219 

course,  with  all  the  references,  never  seemed  so  rich  and  so 
sweet,  in  my  life,  as  it  does  now.  I  have  now  got  to  the 
thirty-fifth  chapter  of  Genesis.  Let  us  read  it  together.  We 
meet  together,  morning  and  evening,  at  the  mercy-seat.  So 
we  are  not  quite  separated.  My  cell  window,  four  inches  wide, 
gives  me  a  glimpse  of  Howard's  grove,  and  now  and  then  of 
a  glorious  sunset.  That  is  my  time  for  devotional  reading  of 
the  New  Testament,  and  prayer,  and  walking  my  poor  tomb- 
like  cell.  Then,  the  window  by  which  I  work  commands  a 
fine  view  of  the  valley  towards  the  water-works,  with  several 
houses  and  a  piece  of  road.  So  I  can  have  a  glimpse,  now 
and  then,  of  God's  beautiful  things,  and  of  free  man's  handi 
works.  And  I  try  to  find  all  the  pleasant  things  I  can  around 
me,  and  to  learn  something  daily.  If  I  can  have  strength 
of  mind  to  cherish  these  habits,  I  shall  not  fall  into  the  semi- 
insane  stupidity  which  is  written  on  the  faces  of  a  majority  of 
the  poor  men  around  me.  I  find  myself  daily  exclaiming, 
*  Oh  that  I  could  preach  Christ  to  these  poor  sinners.'  The 
kind  Methodist  men  who  come  to  preach  here,  know  nothing 
of  the  heart  of  a  prisoner.  And  their  well-meant  efforts  are 
very  little  adapted  to  do  good.  There  is  no  resident  chaplain, 
a  great  defect,  which  I  hope  will  not  always  exist.  Tell  my  dear 
children  not  to  weep  for  father,  but  to  pray  for  him,  that  God 
would  give  him  health  and  a  heart  always  filled  with  his  Holy 
Spirit  and  love.  And  you,  my  dear  wife,  know  well  where 
the  Fountain  of  life  and  peace  flows  forth  from  the  dying  love 
of  our  Lord.  Or  rather  from  his  LIVING  affection ;  '  Because 
I  LIVE,  ye  shall  LIVE  also,'  applies  to  our  life  here,  as  well  as 
to  the  glory  that  shall  follow.  Let  us  keep  our  « life  hid  with 
Christ,  in  God  ;  so  that  when  he  who  is  our  life  shall  appear 
(be  manifested  in  his  glory),  we  also  may'  both  be  with  him 
and  be  like  him.  I  find  a  crowd  of  thoughts  pressing  upon 
me,  which  I  long  to  write,  but  I  cannot.  And  arn  I  not  to 
write  to  you  again  till  April !  God  grant  me  patience !  that 
2eems  the  hardest  thing  of  all !  But  there  is  no  prison  that 


220  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

has  power  to  bind  our  thoughts  or  our  hearts.  Let  us  thank 
God  for  that,  and  take  courage.  This  letter  is  not  for  publi 
cation,  as  you  will  judge.  You  will  write  a  note  yourself, 
stating  the  facts  my  friends  need  to  know  about  letters  to  me 
and  minor  matters.  The  present  gentlemanly  officers,  I  sup 
pose,  will  soon  be  removed.  May  their  whig  successors  be  as 
kind  ;  but  I  doubt  it.  But  God  lives.  So  let  us  hope  on, 
hope  ever;  assured  that,  in  the  end,  we  shall  be  'more  than 
conquerors,  through  him  that  loved  us,'  aye,  loves  us  now, 
with  an  everlasting  love.  God  bless  you,  and  our  children, 
and  fill  you  with  His  peace  and  joy.  Write  me  often.  It  will 
be  a  consolation  to  me,  next  to  the  Bible,  to  read  your  letters 
and  hear  of  your  welfare.  Love  to  all  friends.  I  am  your  af 
fectionate  husband, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

"  Baltimore  Penitentiary,  March  2,  1845. 
"My  Dear  Wife, — All  my  letters,  as  you  will  have  occasion 
to  notice,  bear  date  on  the  holy  Sabbath.  The  poor  State  of 
Maryland  can't  afford  us  time  to  write,  in  the  six  of  our 
days  she  claims ;  so  she  seizes  a  part  of  GOD'S  TIME  for  the 
purpose,  and  we  must  write  then,  or  not  at  all.  However,  I 
trust  it  is  no  sin,  though,  to  a  certain  extent,  it  is  '  finding 
our  own  pleasure  on  His  holy  day.'  And  for  several  Sab 
baths  past,  I  have  written  letters  for  the  ignorant  class  of 
prisoners,  after  dinner.  I  can,  then,  without  violating  rules, 
while  their  feelings  are  softened  by  the  recollections  of  home 
and  friends,  say  a  word,  at  least,  of  Christ  and  salvation. 
Some  appear  very  much  hardened.  Some  are  exceedingly 
embittered  against  the  truth,  and  against  society  and  its  most 
wholesome  laws.  I  think  old  and  habitual  thieves  seein  to 
be  more  filled  with  evil,  than  any  others.  Their  perverted 
consciences  lead  them  to  feel  that  it  will  be  right  to  '  have 
their  revenge'  upon  society  for  their  years  of  thankless  toil 
and  seclusion.  Alas  !  there  is  very  little  in  the  prison,  or  its 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  PENITENTIARY.  221 

influences,  to  lead  them  to  better  things.  The  preaching — 
once  on  the  Sabbath,  and,  chiefly,  by  good,  but  illiterate  lay 
men,  is  poorly  adapted  to  benefit  such  men.  To-day,  we  had 
a  Scotchman,  who  had  travelled  in  Russia,  visited  Palestine, 
Idumea,  Egypt,  etc.,  and  who  gave  us  a  regular  exhibit  of 
*  Scotch'  theology— a  phrase  your  father  well  understands. 
However,  there  was  Christ  in  it,  and  set  forth  with  affection 
ate  plainness.  And  where  that  is  done,  I  can  forgive  almost 
anything  else.  There  are  some  few  pious  souls  even  in  this 
dark  prison.  It  is  idle  to  talk  of  reforming  hardened  men, 
here.  Those  who  are  benefited  by  imprisonment,  are  men 
who  come  here,  little  corrupted,  for  a  first  fault,  caused  by 
intemperance,  or  hasty  passion ;  at  least,  the  exceptions  are 
rare.  If  we  meet  again,  I  shall  give  you  some  queer  sam 
ples  of  prison  Christians !  One  died  some  time  ago.  He 
worked  in  our  room.  I  was  not  aware  of  his  death  and  dis 
section,  till  weeks  after.  There  are  no  funeral  solemnities. 
A  man  dies,  and  the  doctor  takes  his  body  ;  and,  after  a  time, 
perhaps  weeks,  his  death  is  whispered  around  the  prison. 
Well,  if  God  has  his  '  hidden  ones'  here,  He  does  not  forget 
them  ;  and  ANGELS  do  not  disregard  their  death,  or  entrance 
into  the  spirit  world,  whither  we  are  all  hastening.  Our  new 
warden,  Mr.  William  Johnson,  just  appointed  to  his  office, 
handed  me  your  last  letter,  a  day  or  two  since,  and  I  could 
not  forbear  writing,  at  once,  though  I  am  not  exactly  ready 
to  say  all  I  wish,  not  having  seen  Dr.  Breckenridge,  who 
called  a  fortnight  ago,  but  did  not  get  admission,  having  Mr 
M.  in  his  company,  or  for  some  other  reason.  Your  letter 
refers  to  another ;  in  which  you  say  you  spoke  of  dear  Ma 
ry's  illness.  That  letter  I  have  not  received.  I  presume  it 
was  written  on  the  reception  of  mine.  Please  address  the 
person  to  whose  care  it  was  enclosed,  and  see  what  became  of 
it.  It  has  not  been  received.  I  have  had  two  letters  from 
you,  that  in  January,  and  the  one  last  week;— direct  them 
hereafter,  'Asa  Child,  Esq.,  for  C.  T.  T,' simply,  and  I 
19* 


222  MEMOIR    OF  TORREY. 

think  there  will  be  no  more  losses.  They  are  losses,  greater 
than  you  can  well  know.  I  was  thinking  to-day  of  my 
reasures,  counting  my  little  store  of  letters  one  of  the  choic 
est.  I  often  read  them  over.  I  had  a  most  affectionate  and 
brotherly  letter  a  few  weeks  since,  from  Gerrit  Smith,  full  of 
consolation  and  instruction,  as  his  letters  always  are.  Singu 
lar  enough,  he  earnestly  pressed  on  me,  the  perusal  of  Silvio 
Pellico's  '  My  Prisons,'  which,  you  will  remember,  was  the 
first  book  I  read,  after  I  came  here.  It  is  a  most  admirable 
volume.  There  is  a  wonderful  charm  in  its  entire  honesty  of 
confession  of  one's  feelings  and  failings.  Why  should  he  be 
so  ashamed  of  frank  confession  ?  I  know  I  have  taken  almost 
as  much  satisfaction  in  the  candid  confession  of  an  error  I 
regretted,  as  in  the  doing  of  right  actions  Nothing  else 
brings  a  sinner  near  to  God.  And,  though  our  fellow  sinners 
sometimes  sneer  at  it,  that  does  not  detract  from  our  conse 
quent  peace  of  mind.  I  miss  that  absent  letter  very  much; 
for  I  presume  it  contained  something  about  your  book,  and 
my  '  Home'  also,  of  which  your  two  letters,  which  I  have 
received,  give  me  no  information — as  well  as  about  your 
plans,  doings  and  prospects — all  of  which  are  not  among  the 
articles  of  the  '  Index  Expurgatoria'  of  the  prison.  Perhaps 
I  value  my  Ms.  of  '  Home'  more  highly  than  the  booksel 
lers  will  be  likely  to  do,  though  I  am  confident  it  is,  by  far, 
the  best  thing  I  ever  wrote  for  the  press ;  and  you  know  I 
have  written  some  things  that  other  people,  good  judges, 
pronounced  good.  But  the  vanity  of  authorship  is  poor 
comfort,  inside  of  prison  walls.  You  will,  if  you  have  not, 
goon  receive  an  important  letter  from  our  friend,  A.  C.  One 
of  his  proposals,  respecting  my  liberation,  viz.,  a  purchase  of 
it,  by  a  compromise  with  certain  persons,  he  will  doubtless  in 
form  you,  does  not  meet  my  approbation,  though  it  would 
certainly  succeed  at  a  very  early  day.  I  am  not  poor  enough 
yet,  though  a  penniless  prisoner,  to  sell  my  cherished  princi 
ples  for  liberty.  The  other  proposal,  which  invokes  certain 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  PENITENTIARY.  223 

movements  on  your  part,  and  that  of  my  prominent  WHIG 
friends,  both  in  New  England  and  New  York,  and  perhaps, 
Ohio,  I  approve  of,  and  hope  it  will  be  used  effectually,  when 
the  proper  time  arrives.  But  do  not  suppose  I  am  in  haste 
about  it.  Much  as  I  value  freedom,  and  the  many,  many 
and  rich  blessings  God  has  so  wisely  connected  with  it,  I 
shall  be  very  patient;  and  wish  my  friends  to  act  at  the  best 
time,  and  in  the  wisest  way.  I  am  not  without  hopes  that  the 
new  directors,  two  of  whom  at  least,  are  Christians,  will  al 
low  the  introduction  of  more  decided  religious  influences  into 
the  prison.  If  we  could  have  a  Sabbath  School,  and  a  judi 
cious,  faithful  chaplain,  such  as  they  have  in  Charlestown, 
under  the  care  of  brother  Curtis,  it  would  be  a  great  blessing 
to  many.  The  most  hardened  men  in  prison,  have  their 
hours  of  sorrow,  when  the  faithful  chaplain,  constantly  pres 
ent,  could  gain  access  to  their  softened  spirits.  It  is  one  of 
my  trials  of  spirit,  that  when  I  see  men  so  softened,  and  ready 
to  receive,  if  ever,  the  seed  of  the  gospel,  I  cannot  speak  a 
word  to  them.  I  can  pray,  and  for  a  long  time  my  heart  has 
not  been  so  much  drawn  out  in  prayer  for  any  blessing,  as  it 
has  for  the  outpouring  of  God's  spirit  on  these  poor  men. 

"  My  health  remains  good,  compared  with  what  it  was  in  the 
jail ;  though  for  two  or  three  weeks  I  have  been  struggling 
with  acute  pains,  and  febrile  symptoms.  But  God  helping 
me,  I  do  not  mean  to  be  sick.  It  is  no  place  to  be  sick,  in 
prison,  as  I  am  well  satisfied  by  Utter  experience ;  though 
even  there,  God  gave  me  peace  in  my  spirit,  when  reason 
was  nearly  dethroned,  and  I  had  little  hope  of  life,  and  less 
desire  for  it.  The  neuralgia  gives  me  rather  more  pain  than 
when  you  was  here.  But  *  I  am  well,'  in  prison  dialect,  so 
do  not  concern  yourself  about  it — my  '  peace  flows  as  a  river,' 
most  of  the  time,  and  I  am  able  to  be  cheerful,  which  is  per 
haps  the  hardest  thing  for  a  prisoner,  cut  off  from  all  the  or 
dinary  motives  to  human  action.  Like  the  servant,  one  must 
work  for  Christ,  to  perform  thankless  labor  well  and  con- 


224  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

stantly.  I  suppose  I  maybe  called  a  'good  warper'  now,  an 
attainment  in  science  I  little  dreamed  of  a  year  ago !  As  a 
matter  of  convenience,  I  have  adopted  your  hour  for  evening 
devotion  ;  so  we  can  more  literally  '  meet  together,'  when  we 
plead  for  the  mercies  we  need,  at  the  day's  close.  I  try  to 
think  of  you,  and  dear  Charles  and  Mary,  as  kneeling  with 
me,  and  pray  to  our  Father  as  the  God  of  the  family  cove 
nant.  I  find  little  time  to  read,  as  yet.  The  long  hours  of 
the  evening  we  pass  in  darkness.  This  is  the  source  of  more 
sin,  of  more  suffering  and  evil  than  almost  all  things  else  in 
prison.  But  I  find  time  to  read  His  Word  daily.  I  am 
studying  the  Old  Testament,  in  course,  by  the  help  of  the 
references  of  the  small  Polyglot.  I  have  reached  Exodus 
xxvi.  The  New  Testament  I  began,  for  devotional  reading, 
and  have  reached  Luke  xviii,  I  know  you  will  be  interested 
in  these  trifles,  so  will  our  dear  children. 

"  When  you  write  G.  Smith,  tell  him  how  much  I  thank 
him  for  his  letter,  and  especially  for  his  reproofs.  I 
love  him  very  much  as  a  faithful  Christian.  I  wish  I  could 
reply  to  his  letter,  but  I  cannot.  I  am  very  happy  to  hear  of 
our  dear  little  ones.  May  God  preserve  their  health,  and  fill 
them  with  his  love,  and  lead  them  early  to  seek  his  face. — 
Their  conversion  to  Christ  now,  in  childhood,  has  been  much 
on  my  heart,  for  weeks  past.  Tell  me  more  of  your  literary 
avocations.  Enable  me  to  look  into  your  little  house,  and 
see  what  you  are  about  from  day  to  day.  I  wish  I  could 
help  you  in  your  pursuits ;  but  of  this  there  is  very  little 
prospect.  Mark  it :  I  am  not  at  all  sanguine  of  the  success 
of  any  plan  for  my  liberation,  not  involving  disgraceful  denial 
of  principles,  which  cannot  be  submitted  to.  I  have  reason  to 
think  that  the  same  clan  of  evil  men,  who  so  nearly  destroy 
ed  my  good  name  among  the  Christian  people  of  the  city, 
are  still  busy  at  their  work.  You  know  the  proverb — *  to 
justify  one  lie  requires  twenty  !'  And  I  know  that  the  feel 
ing,  in  certain  quarters,  is  exceedingly  bitter  against  me.  I 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  PENITENTIARY.  225 

think  the  publication  of  my  review  of  the  trial,  will  do  much 
to  set  candid  and  decent  men  here,  right  on  various  points. — 
But  I  may  still  be  doomed  to  live  and  die  here.  That  I  shall 
live  here,  six  years,  or  three,  is  too  much  to  hope.  The  seeds 
of  disease  sown  in  my  feeble  frame,  in  that  horrible  jail,  are 
not  very  likely  to  be  rooted  out  here,  where  seventy-three  per 
cent,  of  the  convicts  died,  the  very  last  year — one  in  eight. 
The  causes  of  ill  health  in  this  prison  are,  chiefly,  such  as 
may  easily  be  removed ;  but  it  is  hardly  probable  they  will 
be,  till  public  feeling  is  cleansed  of  the  feeling  the  words 

*  good  enough  for  prisoners'  express.     I  do  not  dwell  on  these 
matters — do  not  care  for  them.      Whether   you  or  I  go   to 
Heaven  Jirst,  will  be  of  no  great  moment ;  and  whether  we 
go  from  prison  or  a  palace  will  make  no  difference  in  our  joy 
in  the  world  of  light,  where   Christ  is,  and  where  we  shall 

*  be  satisfied  with  his  likeness."     I  have  read  a  volume  of 
Wm.  Jay's  sermons,  most  of  Meikle's  *  Solitude  Sweetened,' 
and  some  other  choice  books,  since  January  1st.    Even  a  few 
minutes  a  day  will  enable  us  to  read  much.    And  when  I  feel 
my  mind  half  starved  for  profitable  reading,  I  resort  to  the 
Book  of  books.       How  rich  it  is  !     The  new  officers  of  the 
prison,  except  some  Inspectors  and  the  Warden,  are  not  yet 
appointed.     I  can  only  hope  they  will  be  Christians,  as  well 
as  vigilant  officers ;    men  who   will  never  forget  the  man 
and  the  brother  in  the  prisoner,  and  often,  the  very  guilty 
man.     I  want  very  much  an  Italian  Bible.     None  can  be 
had  in  Baltimore.     Can  you   get  me  one  from  the  Am.  B. 
S.  in  New  York,  and  have  it  sent  to  Mr.  Child,  by  Express 
or  private  hand  ?     It  will  cost  about  $1,25;    my  friend,  C. 
Stockton  Halstead,  merchant  in  New  York  city,  if  you  write 
him,  will  gladly  send  me  one.     G.  Smith  renews  the  assur 
ances  that  my  many  friends  will  not  suffer  you  and  our  chil 
dren  to  want.     In  these  days  of  war  and  public  agitation,  in 
dividual  interests  are  easily  forgotten.     But  God  will  provide, 
if  we  cheerfully  put  our  trust  in  Him  ;  <  all  things  are  ours,' 


226  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

because  they  are  His,  and  He  controls  them  at  His  pleasure 
for  our  good.  Remember,  Mr.  L.  is  no  longer  at  W.,  so  di 
rect  your  letters  to  this  city  hereafter,  post  paid,  as  before. 

"  Winter  is  broken  here,  and  we  are  beginning  to  have 
green  grass,  while  snow  and  ice  are  all  around  you.  Soon  I 
shall  see  '  sweet  fields'  of  '  living  green'  from  my  window, 
daily.  May  they  ever  remind  us  of  the  fields  beyond  the  ken 
of  sense,  where  we  shall  soon  '  walk  in  white,'  if  we  are 
found  worthy.  I  have  still  very  much  to  say,  but  darkness 
has  come— and  long  weeks  must  pass  before  I  again  am  al 
lowed  to  give  you  a  word  of  cheer.  But  if  we  are  near  to 
God,  we  shall  be  near  to  each  other.  God  bless  you,  and 
our  dear  children,  and  our  many  kind  friends  who  have  not 
forgotten  us  in  the  day  of  our  need. 
"  I  am  your  affectionate  husband, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY. 

"Baltimore  Penitentiary,  March  9,  1845. 

"My  Dear  Wife, — Your  missing  letter  was  handed  me  by 
our  kind  Warden,  on  Monday  or  Tuesday  last.  I  had  been 
repining  about  it,  for  a  prisoner  repines  about  matters  that  a 
freeman  will  be  very  submissive  under ;  but  when  I  read  it, 
I  sat  down  to  weep  tears,  both  of  gratitude  to  God,  and  of 
self-reproach  at  my  murmuring.  God  bless  you  and  our  dear 
children  for  all  your  love,  and  your  prayers.  He  answers 
them,  by  giving  me  peace  and  joy  in  Christ  Jesus.  The  past 
week  there  was  an  administration  of  the  sacraments  of  bap 
tism,  the  supper,  and  the  rite  of  confirmation,  by  the  Episco» 
pal  Bishop.  Several  prisoners  received  these  ordinances.  It 
is  to  be  hoped  that  the  hearts  of  many  were  truly  filled  with 
the  grace  of  God.  But  inside  of  prison  walls,  it  is  perhaps 
harder  to  *  discern  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,' 
than  it  is  in  freedom. 

"  Our  old  friend,  Jarnes  N.  Buffum,  formerly  of  Lynn, 
called  to  see  me  this  week,  but  too  early  in  the  morning  to 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  PENITENTIARY.  227 

be  admitted.  He  left  a  kind  note.  Any  of  ray  friends  who 
may  chance  to  be  in  Baltimore,  can  get  a  permit  from  one  of 
the  directors  to  see  me.  God  be  with  you  !  I  have  a  whole 
heart  full  to  write,  of  the  goodness  of  the  Lord  to  me.  This 
week  has  been  a  constant  spiritual  feast  to  my  spirit.  I  joy 
in  the  God  of  my  salvation.  May  His  Holy  Spirit  so  fill 
your  heart  and  mind !  and  may  our  dear  little  ones  learn  to 
praise  Him  !  Tell  them  that  our  Saviour  comes  every  day 
to  visit  their  father,  in  his  prison,  and  fill  his  heart  with 
peace.  And  He  will  make  them  children  of  His  love,  if 
they  ask  Him  with  all  their  heart.  I  meant  to  refer  our  dear 
friend,  G.  S.,  to  some  sweet  thoughts  in  Burder's  '  Sermons 
for  the  Aged,'  on  losing  one's  sight.  He  writes  me  that  it  is 
fast  failing  him.  By  the  way,  I  wish  you  to  regard  it  as  a 
general  rule,  not  to  publish  my  letters,  while  I  remain  here. 
Anything  my  friends  wish  to  know,  from  time  to  time, 
you  can  publish.  But  any  other  course  will  restrict  the  free 
dom  of  our  intercourse,  arid  besides,  is  not  necessary  for  any 
important  end.  If  this  is  regarded,  the  Warden  will  lay  no 
other,  unnecessary,  restriction  upon  it.  I  believe  he  is  very 
kindly  disposed  towards  me,  though  I  have  had  very  little  in 
tercourse  with  him.  My  best  love  to  all  my  friends,  in  and 
out  of  our  family  circle — tell  them  to  pray  for  prisoners. 
Christ  did  not  despise  them.  He  came  to  '  open  the  prison 
doors,'  by  imparting  salvation  to  them.  Those  whom  men 
despise,  Jesus  pities  and  weeps  over.  I  think  the  Holy  Spir 
it  is  manifestly  at  work  in  this  prison,  on  some  hearts.  What 
is  he  not  able  to  do  ?  I  need  not  say  how  near  my  heart 
you  and  our  children  are,  at  all  times,  especially  in  my 
prayers  before  our  Father. 

I  am  yours  with  affection, 

CHARLES  T.  TORRET." 

"  Baltimore  Penitentiary,  April  29,  1845. 
My  dear  wife, — You  will  naturally  think  that  I  have  taken 


228  MEMOIR  OP  TORRET. 

a  long  time  to  consider  whether  I  should  make  the  pledge 
required  of  me,  in  your  letter  of  April  1.  But  Mr.  Child  did 
not  deliver  it  till  day  before  yesterday,  having  detained  it  to 
consult  certain  gentlemen  here,  on  the  topics  to  which  you  re 
fer.  I  commence  my  reply  in  such  a  state  of  bodily  weakness 
and  pain  as  to  make  it  pretty  certain  I  shall  not  be  able  to 
finish  it  to-day.  I  am  suffering  from  a  severe  attack  of  my  old 
foe,  the  neuralgia.  The  disease  and  the  remedies,  such  as 
bleeding,  blisters,  etc.,  have,  in  two  or  three  weeks,  made  me 
much  more  feeble  than  I  was  when  you  first  came  to  Balti 
more,  last  fall.  And,  though  Dr.  Gibson,  the  new  physician 
of  the  penitentiary  is  reputed,  and  J  think  justly,  somewhat 
eminent  in  his  profession,  I  do  not  consider  the  prospect  of  re 
covering  my  health  at  all  cheering.  However,  do  not  be 
alarmed  or  disheartened.  The  same  kind  and  glorious  Sa 
vior,  who  has  '  filled  me  with  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing,' 
since  my  imprisonment  here,  to  a  degree  without  precedent 
in  my  life,  will  do  all  things  well.  If  He  has  any  use  for  me, 
both  my  bodily  and  mental  powers  will  be  restored  and  pre 
served.  If  not,  let  us  say,  '  It  is  the  Lord :  let  him  do  what 
seemeth  good  in  His  sight.'  I  need  not  say,  that  whatever 
consists  with  the  discipline  of  the  prison  will  be  done  for  my 
comfort  and  restoration,  little  as  prison  life  is  adapted  to  meet 
the  wants  of  a  neuralgic  patient.  If  it  shall  please  God  to  call 
me  home  from  this  place,  I  shall  not  complain.  And  some 
times  I  do  long  to  be  free  from  the  body,  and  to  be  present 
with  the  Lord.  This  week,  I  am  not  able  to  read ;  and  my 
mind  begins  to  act  upon  itself,  as  it  did  before  ;  so  that  I  long 
to  stop  thinking.  Still  I  am  not  unhappy,  on  the  whole ; 
and  when  my  mind  can  fix  itself  on  Christ,  1  find  my  heart  is 
there.  You  will  see  that  I  am  not  in  the  best  condition  to 
consider  anew,  and  decide  on  the  various  questions  connected 
with  my  possible  release.  So  far  as  my  return  to  the  South, 
with  reference  to  aiding  slaves  to  escape,  I  have  no  hesitation 
in  saying,  that  I  have  no  purpose,  plan,  wish  or  intention  to 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  PENITENTIARY.  229 

do  so,  in  case  of  my  release  from  that  imprisonment  to  which 
perjury  consigned  me.  It  would  be  highly  unjust  to  you,  to 
my  children,  to  my  friends  who  have  dealt  so  generously  with 
me  and  mine,  for  me  to  expose  myself,  in  any  way,  a  second 
time,  to  such  results,  and  you  to  such  sufferings.  If  it  pleases 
God  to  open  my  prison  doors,  it  is  due  to  your  tried  affection 
that  I  should  give  you  all  the  assurance  you  can  derive  from 
what  you  know  of  my  naturally  inflexible  character,  that  no 
such  hazards  to  you  and  our  children  shall  be  incurred.  Had 
you  asked  such  a  pledge,  when  here,  without  the  remotest 
reference  to  my  freedom,  it  should  have  been  freely  given, 
though  I  am  perfectly  aware  that  in  making  it  I  destroy  a 
large  portion  of  my  public  influence.  And,  I  must  frankly  add, 
I  do  not  believe  it  will  be  of  any  avail.  It  may  satisfy  the 
scruples  of  certain  gentlemen  in  Massachusetts,  whose  influ 
ence  is  desirable.  But  men  like  Linus  Child  and  Gov.  Lincoln, 
who  know  my  character  well,  must  be  perfectly  aware,  that  I 
would  do  anything  consistent  with  straight  forward  honesty, 
to  save  you  from  the  trials  incident  to  my  condition.  But  the 
demand  for  concessions  here,  is  much  more  serious.  My  for 
mer  influence  I  am  ready  to  resign.  My  future  life,  if  freed, 
will  be  one  of  toil  and,  to  me,  of  much  suffering,  more  so  than 
you,  my  dear  wife,  will  ever  know.  I  do  not  know  that  my 
imprisonment  has  lost  me  any  friends,  for  whom  I  cared ;  it 
has  gained  me  many,  in  all  lands.  But  if  you  recall  one  of  our 
last  conversations,  you  will  know  to  what  class  of  sufferings  I 
refer.  But  God  will  give  me  strength  for  what  may  be  be 
fore  me,  if  life  is  continued.  But  the  demand  for  a  sacrifice 
of  my  integrity,  is  renewed  here,  in  the  most  offensive  form, 
though  with  an  abundance  of  kind  words,  and  very  evident 
kind  feelings  towards  me.  It  is  the  same  demand  made  in  the 
jail,  as  a  condition  of  release,  the  rejection  of  which  I  ap 
prized  you,  at  the  time.  How  can  I  assent  to  doctrines  to 
which  my  heart,  my  conscience,  and  my  matured  judgment, 
based  on  careful  examination,  when  no  possible  motive  of  self- 

20 


230  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

interest  could  bias  me,  led  me  to  reject,  as  opposed  to  the  Bi 
ble  and  to  right  reason?     I  may  be  very  erroneous  in  my 
views,  for  I  am  a  public  man.    But  this  is  no  place,  nor  am  I 
in  a  condition  to  review  my  settled  views  respecting  the  rela 
tions  of  Christianity  to  those  civil  laws  which  are  contrary 
to  natural  justice  and  the  law  of  God  ?     What  is  required  of 
me  here,  goes,  in  fact,  the  whole  length  of  admitting  the 
riyhtfulness  of  the  views  of  the  religious  bodies,  calling  them 
selves  '  churches/  which  have  so  far  departed  from  the  sim 
plicity  of  the  gospel  as  to  tolerate  slavery  in  their  bosom. 
To  be  sure,  it  is  not  presented  in  exactly  that  form ;  it  is 
clothed  in  terms  not  offensive ;  but  what  are  mere  words  ? 
Shall  I,  for  the  sake  of  escaping  a  prison  for  the  short  remnant 
of  my  life,  do  an  act  so  basely  selfish  as  to  sign  what  I  believe 
Christ  abhors  ?     When  in  jail,  some  Christian  men,  of  pretty 
high  standing,  endeavored  to  persuade  me  that  I  might  sign  a 
document  so  equivocal  that  it  might  bear  two  constructions, 
a  Southern  and  a  Northern  one,  like  a  politician's  letter  be 
fore  an  election.     Our  worthy  friend  Child  will  not  urge  such 
duplicity,  nor  do  I  suppose  he  thinks  me  capable  of  it.     I 
would  not  write  all  this,  my  dear  wife,  but  I  feel  it  is  neces 
sary  to  prepare  you  for  a  very  probable  disappointment  of  all 
his  very  wise  plans  for  rny  release ;  '  very  wise,'  provided  I 
was  not  troubled  with  a  conscience,  an  understanding,  and  a 
heart  of  my  own,   but  could  become  a  nose  of  wax  to  be 
moulded  by  circumstances,  selfish  interests,  and  other  men's 
opinions.     You  may  be  sure  that  I  will  refuse  nothing  which 
I  can  possibly  assent  to,  with  honesty  ;  but  my  present  opin 
ion  is,  that  more  than  this  is  demanded  of  me.     It  is  better  to 
die  in  prison,  with  the  peace  of  God  in  our  hearts,  than  to  live 
in  freedom,  with  a  polluted  conscience.     I  find  Mr.  C.  still 
goes  on  with  the  plan  of  compromising  with  H.  and  B.  T.,  in 
spite  of  my  abhorrence  of  it.     It  is  a  severe  trial  to  me  not  to 
forbid  it,  altogether.     Cooperate  in  it,  I  will  not.     I  trust  your 
hands  will  be  kept  pure,  and  your  father's  also.    Released  in 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  PENITENTIARY.  231 

such  a  way,  I  must  feel  a  slave  so  long  as  such  a  pecuniary  obli 
gation  rests  on  me.  But  for  your  sake,  I  had  rather  die  here 
than  suffer  it.  I  told  Mr.  C,  that  all  I  could  promise  was  not  to 
forbid  those  who  could  do  such  a  thing,  with  a  good  conscience. 
But  it  burdens  my  spirit.  That  I  feel  deeply  grateful  for  all 
the  kindness  of  our  friends,  my  daily  prayers  bear  witness. 
I  hope  they  will  be  guided  so  as  to  do  nothing  for  my  re 
lease  which  God  cannot  approve ;  and  that  they  will  pray 
that  /  may  be  kept  from  sacrificing  a  good  conscience  to  ob 
tain  freedom  from  temporal  sufferings. 

"April  30.  You  will  see  by  the  ink,  where  weakness  com 
pelled  me  to  stop  yesterday.  To-day  I  feel  somewhat  better, 
though  the  disease  is  not  affected.  I  take  pretty  strong  doses 
of  tincture  of  digitalis,  a  remedy  which  is  always  gradual  in 
its  effects.  But  I  expect  no  more  from  it  than  I  received  in 
1835,  viz.  nothing.  However,  the  Lord  will  order  all  things 
well.  I  have  a  great  deal  to  write,  far  more  than  my  paper 
will  hold.  Thank  you  very  much  for  the  Bible,  (which  Mr. 
C.  has  not  sent  over  yet).  I  will  try  to  make  no  more  calls 
on  you,  at  present.  Ever  since  I  read  Sismondi's  Literature 
of  the  South  of  Europe,  I  have  had  a  strong  desire  to  be  fa 
miliar  with  the  Italian.  Now  I  can  hardly  enjoy  Italian  po 
etry.  But  two  perusals  of  the  Bible  will  give  me  an  entire 
command  of  the  language.  This  was  Elihu  Burritt's  plan.  If 
I  am  here,  living  and  well,  I  mean  to  acquire  at  least  one  new 
language  a  year,  taking  German  next.  Dr.  Snodgrass  made 
me  a  very  kind  call  some  days  since,  and  offered  to  supply 
me  with  books,  regularly.  I  trust  <  Home'  will  do  good.  I 
have  no  doubt  it  will  be  very  widely  read,  on  both  sides  of 
the  '  big  pond,'  as  well  as  in  dear  Scituate.  How  many  hours, 
in  rny  prison,  have  I  spent  in  recalling  the  incidents,  scenes, 
and  friends  of  my  childhood  !  Many  incidents  of  my  child 
hood,  connected  with  aunt  Fanny,  grandmother,  cousin  Debo 
rah,  my  school-mates,  the  old  houses  and  families  of  S. ; 
things  forgotten  for  twenty-five  years,  have  affected  me  very 


232  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

much.  Pray  send  the  pamphlets  you  speak  of  about  Scituate 
affairs.  There  will  be  no  trouble  about  them.  Send  directly 
to  the  care  of  the  warden,  Mr.  Wm.  Johnson,  post-paid,  of 
course.  I  am  very  glad  you  read  the  manuscript  of  '  Home* 
to  grandmother,  and  (I  suppose)  to  the  rest  of  the  family  cir 
cle.  I  should  be  glad  to  write  to  them  and  to  aunt  Fanny. 
But  you  must  assure  her  and  them  all  that  I  remember  them 
often,  and  with  affection,  grateful  for  all  their  love  and  their 
prayers  for  me.  Nothing  has  made  me  feel  so  humble 
as  the  fact  that  so  many,  not  our  relations  only,  or  the 
many  poor  who  bless  me,  but  all  over  our  land  prayed 
for  me.  What  am  I  ?  How  do  I  deserve  their  love  ?  But 
God  will  bless  them  according  to  all  that  is  in  their  hearts 
towards  me.  Our  dear  friends,  John  P.  Jewett  and  his  wife, 
with  their  little  child  which  I  baptized,  and  a  troop  of  her 
Baltimore  relatives,  made  me  a  very  kind  visit,  some  time 
since.  He  afterwards  sent  me  some  very  acceptable  books  ; 
Howitt's  Rural  and  Domestic  Life  in  Germany,  is  one. 
John  promised  to  see  you  and  write  me.  He  is  somewhat 
feeble  still.  But  you  have  probably  seen  them,  so  I  am  writ 
ing  old  news.  I  have  read  another  book,  with  great  satisfac 
tion.  You  must  read  it :  Henrich  Stilling's  Autobiography. 
Translations  of  some  choice  gems  of  his  poetry  you  have  read. 
But  this  gives  the  single  hearted  Christian,  ever  full  of  trust 
in  God  and  active  usefulness.  You  can  buy  it  for  twenty- 
five  cents.  It  has  all  the  charm  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  to 
a  Christian  mind.  My  old  friend,  Benjamin  O.  Bacon,  called 
two  weeks  ago,  and  brought  me  an  affectionate  letter  from 
that  good  man,  Henry  Grew,  together  with  kind  remem 
brances  from  all  my  Philadelphia  friends.  Some  others  have 
called  on  me,  but  none  whom  you  ever  saw,  or  know  much 
about.  So  I  will  not  speak  of  them  in  detail.  I  am  one  of 
seventeen  in  a  large  room,  about  forty  feet  square,  in  the  old 
prison.  Two  or  three  poor  men  are  evidently  very  near  to 
death,  though  very  little  conscious  of  it,  or,  I  fear,  prepared 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  PENITENTIARY.  233 

to  meet  its  issues.  The  death  of  a  sinner  is  fearful  always. 
But  for  such  an  one  to  die  in  prison,  deprived  of  human  sym 
pathy,  is  even  more  shocking.  Others  are  the  subjects  of  va 
rious  kinds  and  degrees  of  illness.  But  all  feeling  that  if  they 
were  free  they  might  soon  recover.  How  natural !  No  doubt, 
in  many  cases,  it  might  be  so.  But  we  are  reluctant  to  learn 
the  lesson  of  our  mortality.  Mr.  Child  and  Mr.  Gallagher 
will  write  you  respecting  their  interviews  with  me,  with  vari 
ous  matters  of  interest.  You  might  have  spared  the  trouble 
of  your  letter  to  G.,  as  Mr.  Cox  perused  and  corrected  my 
manuscript  before  it  was  sent;  and,  indeed,  before  the  final 
copy  of  it  was  made,  in  which  all  points  he  deemed  even  doubt 
ful  were  omitted.  The  signatures  of  any  number  of  promi 
nent  men  can  be  obtained  by  our  Boston  friends,  by  a  simple 
circular  to  such  men  as  Jas.  G.  Carter,  Win.  Reed,  Wm.  Jack 
son,  etc.  Nor  have  I  any  doubt  that  they  can  have  the 
names  of  all  the  members  of  both  houses  of  the  legislature  by 
similar  means.  Mr.  C.  is  rather  disposed  to  mystify  me  in 
regard  to  the  source  of  the  means  of  compromising  with  H. 
and  B.  T.  I  care  not  to  know  it  at  present.  But  TAKE  CARE 
to  whom  you  make  me  a  bondman,  if  I  must  come  under  a 
bondage  so  hateful.  If  I  may  live  to  return  to  every  human 
being  all  the  obligations  I  have  received,  I  shall  be  ready  to 
die.  Nor  do  I  think  it  pride  that  leads  me  to  such  feelings, 
though  it  may  be.  I  would  '  owe  no  man  anything  but  to  love 
one  another,'  if  possible.  My  foes  here,  finding  their  old 
slanders  losing  their  power,  have  recently  sent  out  a  new  edi 
tion  ;  to  meet  which  it  may  become  necessary  to  send  to  Can 
ada.  But  if  these  were  met,  they  would  coin  new  ones. 
'  The  devil,'  in  this  State,  'is  come  down  in  great  wrath, 
knowing  that  his  time  is  short.'  And  some  of  the  good  people 
are  much  frightened  at  his  raging,  and  are  very  sorry  that  his 
wrath  was  provoked.  You  understand  me.  The  last  two  months 
have  witnessed  many  improvements,  completed  or  in  pro 
gress,  in  the  treatment  and  condition  of  the  prisoners.  And 

20* 


234  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

the  effect  on  most  of  them'is  very  happy.    Some  of  them  won 
der,  and  say,  '  it  is  too  good  to  last.'     Others  ascribe  it  to  the 
politics  of  the  officers.    But  others  have  sense  enough  to  see  it 
is  the  result  of  Christian  principle.    You  will  be  glad  to  know 
that  Mr.  Winne,  the  jail  gate  keeper,  who  was  so  kind  to  you 
and  to  me,  is  one  of  the  new  officers.     He  is  a  man  of  prayer. 
Several  others  of  the  subordinate  officers  seem  to  be  decided 
Christians.     T  think  several  prisoners  have  been  awakened, 
and,  I  hope,  led  to  the  Savior,  since  January.  But  prison  piety 
is  a  feeble,  sickly  plant  at  best ;  and  much  of  it  feigned.    Even 
•when  it  is  real,  it  presents  strange  contrasts.   You  cannot  con 
ceive  of  minds  so  low-lived,  ignorant  and  debased,  that  even 
sincere  penitence  does  not  show  them  the  evil  of  vulgar  ribald 
ry  !    and  even  of  things  worse  than  that !     Had  my  avoca 
tions  and  journeyings  not  brought  me  in  contact  with  the 
same  low  life,  the  better  shades  of  which  Dickens  loves  to  de 
pict,  I  could  riot  believe  such  things  existed  in  our  land.     A 
few  of  the  prisoners  belong  to  a  higher  class,  and  only  a  few. 
I  thank  my  dear  little  Charles  and  Mary  for  their  kind  mes 
sages  to  father.     May  our  heavenly  Father  bless  them  with 
his  Holy  Spirit,  that  they  may  love  Him,  and  love  to  do  good 
to  all  men.     May  He  graciously  keep  them  from  all  evil, 
from  sin  and  suffering.     I  want  to  hear  that  they  are  both 
very  good  children,  and  that  they  try,  every  day,  to  please  God. 
Sin  will  kindle  a  fire  which  cannot  be  put  out,  like  the  fire  in 
Mrs.  H.'s  barn,  if  Charles  does  not  get  the  love  of  sin  out  of 
his  heart.     But  our  Savior  will  help  him,  if  he  prays  to  him. 
I  hope  they  both  try  to  make  mother  happy,  by  obedience,  and 
kindness  to  her  and  to  every  one.     You  do  not  refer  to  pecu 
niary  matters  at  all.     1  can  only  hope  that,  in  accordance 
with  the  assurances  others  have  made  me,  God  has  provided 
amply  for  your  present  need.     Still  trust  Him,  and  '  do  good, 
and  verily  thou  shalt  be  fed.'      God  chooses  his  own  way  to 
provide  for  us ;  but  his  promises  will  not  fail  to  secure  to  us 
all  that  is  really  for  our  welfare.     Why  should  we  wish  for 


LETTERS  FROM  THE  PENITENTIARY.  235 

more  ?  Give  my  respects  to  Mrs.  H.  I  am  sorry  for  her 
loss ;  if  she  was  poor,  I  should  pity  her.  As  it  is,  it  is  only  a 
gentle  warning  to  use  her  ample  means  more  singly  for  God. 
We  all  need  such  hints.  I  have  been  much  humbled  by  re 
viewing  my  life,  and  discovering,  not  merely  so  much  sin,  but 
so  many  selfish  and  low  motives  connected  even  with  the  acts 
and  plans  for  the  good  of  others  which  I  thought  most  in  ac 
cordance  with  God's  will.  Ah !  those  who  praise  us,  see 
very  little  of  our  hearts,  as  they  appear  in  God's  holy  eyes  ! 
4  Cleanse  thou  me  from  secret  faults.'  Mr.  Cain,  one  of  the 
pious  officers,  some  time  ago  loaned  ine  a  very  searching  vol 
ume,  written  by  Solomon  Stoddard  :  '  The  Safety  of  appear 
ing  in  the  Righteousness  of  Christ  at  the  Day  of  Judgment.' 
Like  the  other  writings  of  that  great  man,  it  is  tinctured  with 
his  errors  and  those  of  his  time.  But  it  is  very  instructive ; 
and  the  closing  portions  are  fitted  to  test  one's  hopes  for  eter 
nity,  as  much  as  Edwards  on  the  Affections,  if  not  more  so. 
In  one  of  uncle  Wm.  T.  T.'s  letters,  you  will  find  the  same 
feelings  expressed  by  him,  and  also  by  one  of  the  best  men  in 
western  New  York,  that  uncle  T.  showed.  May  God  bless 
and  accept  it  from  them. 

"  Whenever  '  Home'  is  printed,  I  wish  you  would  send  me 
two  or  three  copies  of  it.  And  I  have  half  a  mind  to  say 
that  I  will  not  be  glad  to  see  any  friend  who  does  not  bring 
some  book  with  him  !  But  I  am  not  quite  so  badly  off  as  that. 
Some  of  the  prisoners  have  a  supply  of  books,  though  nearly 
half  are  unable  to  read.  There  are  about  265  here,  male 
and  female. 

"I  am  glad  to  learn  Charles  is  industrious.  It  is  the 
road  to  honor  ;  but  idleness  brings  shame.  Now  a  hint. 
Your  letters  improve  in  adaptation  to  my  wants,  in  variety  of 
items  such  as  I  wish  and  need  to  know.  But  the  writing  grows 
nearly  as  illegible  as  mine !  and  puzzles  our  kind  warden  to 
decipher  it.  My  writing,  of  course,  is  beyond  reforming  ! 


236  MEMOIR  OP  TORRE Y. 

I  don't  know  that  I  can  write  you  again  before  July,  unless 
some  business  item  requires  it,  or  my  health  declines  still 
more.  Write  as  often  as  it  is  convenient.  My  best  love  to 
all  friends.  I  cannot  name  them  in  detail.  If  you  have  a  fa 
vorable  opportunity,  1  wish  you  would  send  me  my  little 
Greek  New  Testament  with  the  small  lexicon.  It  has  been 
my  pocket  companion  many  a  weary  mile,  in  years  past,  and 
I  often  want  it,  now,  to  refer  to.  Farewell !  May  our  cove 
nant  keeping  God  and  Savior  give  you  richly  to  enjoy  all  the 
blessings  of  his  grace  and  love.  When  you  pray  for  me,  do 
not  forget  my  poor  fellow  prisoners  also.  I  am  yours,  with 
affection,  CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

"  May  1, 1845.  I  must  add  a  few  of  my  rhymes,  though 
I  began  them  in  a  measure  so  difficult,  that  my  sick  head 
could  not  beat  harmony  into  them. 

"  Sweet  spring  flowers !   sweet  spring  flowers 

On  the  distant  hills  I  see. 

And  the  valley  of  Belvidere 
Is  clothed  with  a  carpet  of  green. 
No  bounding  walls  of  granite,  I  ween, 

That  shut  up  my  body,  here,    . 
Can  bid  the  winds  stop  wafting  to  me 
The  sweets  of  their  perfumed  bowers. 

I  may  not  walk  beneath  the  shade 

Of  yonder  greenwood  trees  ; 

I  may  not  twine  for  Mary's  hair 
A  garland  of  beauty  and  love, 
And  bind  it  her  brows  above  ; 

That  all  the  viewless  spirits  of  air 
Shall  love  to  linger,  like  honey  bees, 
Round  the  garland  I  made. 

Yet  I  love  their  colors,  so  gay, 

And  rich  perfumes  they  bring; 

I  love  the  sounds  of  joy 
That  rise  from  that  brilliant  parterre. 
My  spirit  oft  wandereth  there, 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  237 

And,  freed  from  each  care  and  alloy, 
With  thee  rejoices  to  sing 
A  hymn  to  the  sweet  bonny  May. 

Sweet  May !  the  emblem  of  love ! 

Her  many  opening  flowers, 

Her  songs  from  every  tree, 
Her  gentle  breath  and  sunny  smile, 
The  prisoner  of  half  his  woes  beguile  : 

She  maketh  his  spirit  free ! 
He  counts  no  more  the  weary  hours, 
He  walks  in  the  garden  above ! 

"  I  can  think  of  no  close  to  my  poor  rhymes  but  that  sweet 
verse  commencing, 

"  There  everlasting  spring  abides, 
And  ever  opening  flowers,  etc., 

which  little  Mary  can  repeat  to  her  mother.  So  again,  farewell ! 

C.  T.  T. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  WHILE  IN  PRISON. 

We  have  now  accompanied  Mr.  Torrey  through  nearly 
one  whole  year  of  imprisonment  and  suffering.  How  he 
bears  himself,  the  reader  has  seen.  It  will  be  interesting  to 
know  what  streams  of  sympathy  and  consolation  were  trick 
ling  in  through  the  walls  of  his  prison,  to  comfort  and  cheer 
the  lonely  sufferer. 

From  the  day  it  was  known  that  he  had  been  arraigned  at 
Baltimore,  a  wide  and  deep  interest  was  felt  in  his  behalf. 
This  feeling  manifested  itself  in  furnishing  nearly  a  thousand 
dollars  to  be  expended  in  his  defence  and  for  his  deliverance. 

The  following  letters  are  published  entirely  upon  the  re 
sponsibility  of  the  editor.  Justice  to  some  of  the  parties,  in 


238  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

his  opinion,  would  be  satisfied  with  nothing  less  ;  and  he  feels 
confident  they  will  be  read  with  interest. 

"  Washington  City,  Jan.  1,  1845. 

"  Dear  Torrey, — I  wish  you  a  happy  new  year !  '  Strange 
salutation,'  you  say,  for  a  poor  prisoner,  clad  in  sackcloth,  fed 
on  the  coarsest  food,  cut  off  from  society,  and  even  from  litera 
ry  delights,  and  bending  his  feeble  frame  to  hard  labor  in  a 
penitentiary.'  But  why,  my  dear  Charles,  should  you  not 
have  a  happy  new  year  ?  Let  those  be  unhappy  who  have 
committed  crime.  Let  those  be  unhappy  who  have  no  hope 
in  our  atoning,  and  interceding,  arid  present  Savior.  Let 
those  be  unhappy,  who  know  that  God  is  not  their  God. — 
What  are  the  coarse  garments — call  them  riches,  and  say  to 
yourself,  that  you  are  dressed  in  the  height  of  fashion,  and 
they  will  give  you  sweeter  satisfaction  than  all  the  gorgeous 
apparel  I  have  to-day  seen  at  the  White  House.  And  the 
prison  fare,  with  peace  of  conscience,  will  relish  sweeter  far, 
than  the  richest  dainties,  seasoned  with  remorse.  And  further 
more,  you  are  not  so  reduced,  after  all,  as  He,  who  had  not 
where  to  lay  his  head, — so  I  say  again — a  happy  new  year  to 
you.  And  may  each  returning  new  year's  day,  which  brings 
nearer  and  nearer  the  overthrow  of  slavery,  not  only  in  Ma 
ryland,  but  throughout  our  country,  make  the  remembrance 
sweeter  and  sweeter  to  your  soul,  that  you  have  done  what 
you  could,  to  bring  it  about.  I  am  not  trifling  with  you,  or 
making  a  mock  at  calamity,  therefore,  when  I  do  sincerely 
bid  you  a  happy  new  year !  And  I  sat  down  to  pen  this  let 
ter,  thinking  it  might  perhaps  not  be  unseasonable  or  unac 
ceptable,  and  I  pray  you  to  accept  it  as  a  token  of  my  broth 
erly  kindness,  and  a  pledge  that  I  shall  leave  nothing  untried, 
which  is  within  my  power,  to  hasten  the  period  when  the 
prison  doors  shall  open  again  to  let  you  out  into  the  world,  to 
participate  in  the  destinies  of  the  age,  and  to  enjoy  the  sweets 
of  friends  and  home. 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  239 

"  I  have  received  yours  of  Saturday,  and  will  lose  no  time 
in  attending  to  the  matter,  to  the  best  of  my  ability.  I  have 
received  an  encouraging  letter  from  Mr.  Child — rather  so. — 
But  do  not  be  impatient.  Do  just  what  is  right,  and  wait 
like  a  man  for  the  result.  Make  everything  as  pleasant  as 
you  can  in  the  prison,  both  for  yourself  and  all  others.  It 
is  the  way  to  find  favor  with  God  and  man.  Good  night. 
Your  affectionate  brother, 

JOSHUA  LEAVITT. 

"Baltimore,  Jan.  19,  1845. 

"  My  Dear  Leavitt, — I  thank  you  heartily  for  your  new 
year's  salutation  !  I  had  like  to  have  been  deprived  of  the 
privilege  of  reading  it,  on  account  of  your  allusions  to  sla 
very  !  And  now  I  can  write  you  only  on  business  matters  ; 
on  no  other  topics  can  I  write  to  any  but  my  wife ;  and  to 
her  only  once  in  three  months.  However,  I  can  receive  let 
ters  of  affection,  provided  they  give  me  no  information  as  to 
what  is  passing  in  the  living  world  without. 

"  I  am  civilly  (most  uncivilly  I  think  it)  dead  to  the  world, 
while  in  these  tombs.  But  I  am  happy,  thanks  to  our  mer 
ciful  Savior,  on  the  whole.  I  pray  you  assure  our  brethren 
of  my  hearty  gratitude  for  your  kindness.  If  God  protracts 
my  life,  and  gives  me  rational  freedom,  I  hope  to  prove  it  by 
substantial  service." 

"  You  exhort  me  to  be  patient  in  regard  to  the  measures 
for  my  deliverance.  I  will,  God  helping  me.  I  have  not 
yet  seen  Mr.  C.,  though  I  am  promised  an  interview  next 
week,  when  I  hope  to  know  something  definite  in  regard  to  it. 

"My  health  is  improved  on  the  whole.  The  officers  are 
all  very  kind  ;  as  much  so  as  their  system  allows,  probably. 

"  God  bless  you,  and  my  friends  who  are  free  to  good. — 
Aye,  there's  the  hardship  of  a  prison  to  me  ;  a  useless  life. 
Farewell !  I  am  afraid  I  am  now  trespassing  too  far  on  the 


240  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

limits  of  a  business  letter.     I  am  yours,  very  truly  and  grate 
fully,  CHARLES  T.  TORRET." 

"  Peterboro',  Feb.  7,  1845. 
"  REV.  CHARLES  T.  TORRET — 

"  My  Dear  Brother, — I  am  at  my  house  to-day,  instead  of  my 
office.  Together  with  my  family,  I  am  observing  this  day  as 
a  day  of  fasting,  humiliation  and  prayer,  with  reference  to  the 
state  and  prospects  of  our  country.  Others  are  observing  the 
day  in  a  similar  manner. 

"  You  are  much  in  my  thoughts,  and  I  was  made  very 
happy  the  other  evening,  by  seeing  in  the  newspapers,  that 
you  were  allowed  to  receive  letters  from  your  friends,  provi 
ded  such  letters  were  silent  on  this,  that,  and  the  other  topic. 
I  regret  the  restrictions,  but  even  with  them,  it  is  a  pleasure 
to  write  to  you — and  guarded  and  constrained  as  must  be 
my  letter,  it  will  doubtless  afford  you  some  pleasure  to 
read  it. 

"  I  and  mine  are,  through  Divine  mercy,  in  good  health. 
My  eye  sight,  which  has  been  seriously  affected  for  several 
years,  has  of  late  failed  quite  fast.  It  would  not  be  strange 
if  I  should  become  blind  in  a  few  years.  Possibly,  the  shut 
ting  up  of  my  outward  sight  is  God's  way  for  opening  my  in 
ward  eye — the  eye  of  the  soul,  as  Baxter  (if  I  recollect) 
calls  the  eye  of  faith. 

'  Sweet  to  lie  passive  in  His  hands, 
And  know  no  will  but  His.' 

That  sweetness  may  you  and  I  know. 

"  Your  own  family  are  I  believe  in  good  health.  I  have 
sent  your  dear  wife  the  letters  you  wrote  me  from  the  Balti 
more  Jail.  You  need  have  no  concern  that  your  wife  and 
children  will  not  be  well  provided  for.  Multitudes  of  friends 
are  already  ministering  to  them.  God  will  take  care  of  them. 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  241 

"  And  now,  '  is  it  well  with  thee  ?'  I  learn  that  you  are 
in  a  State  Prison,  and  shut  up  from  seeing  wife,  children, 
friends — from  preaching  the  gospel — from  your  other  benev 
olent  labors — from  your  literary  pursuits  ;  nevertheless,  I 
suppose  it  may  be  well  with  thee — hence  I  ask,  'is  it  well 
with  thee  ?' 

"  If,  my  dear  brother,  you  are  fully  and  sweetly  resigned 
to  all  the  Lord's  will,  then  it  is  *  well  with  you,'  and  all  these 
things  that  you  are  called  to  suffer  are  '  light  afflictions.'  So 
you  have  preached — so  you  have  called  on  others  to  feel — 
and  so,  I  trust,  you  now  feel  yourself.  God  is  emphatically 
testing  you.  He  is  trying  whether  you  will  learn,  in  your 
own  person,  the  reduction  to  practice  of  your  own  preaching> 
God's  grace  is  sufficient  to  make  your  cell,  your  toil,  and  all 
your  privations,  dear  and  precious  to  you.  This  you  be 
lieved,  before  your  confinement — and  this,  I  hope,  you  are 
now  experiencing  the  truth  of. 

"  I  am  happy  to  see  by  the  newspapers,  that  you  have  been 
favored  in  the  kind  of  labor  assigned  to  you.  I  suppose  your 
food  is  palatable  and  healthful,  though  coarse.  I  presume  that 
you  have  a  copy  of  the  Bible — and  I  am  not  entirely  without 
hope  that  you  are  permitted  to  read  other  good  books.  You  are 
not  badly  off  however  in  respect  to  reading,  if  you  are  allow 
ed  to  read  but  one  book,  so  long  as  that  book  is  the  best  of 
books.  When  I  think  of  the  rigid  necessity  you  are  under 
to  read  and  study  the  Bible,  and  make  all  its  letter,  as  well  as 
its  spirit  and  meaning,  your  own,  I  almost  envy  you  that  ne 
cessity,  and  the  confinement  which  occasions  it.  I  hope  that 
your  keepers  are  kind-hearted — that  they  love  you,  and  that 
you  love  them.  If  they  are  not  Christians,  God  grant  that  your 
words  and  ways  may  be  such  as  to  win  them  to  Christ.  Give 
them  my  love,  if  you  are  allowed  to  do  so,  and  tell  them  that 
my  fervent  prayer  to  God  is,  that  He  would  return  into  their 
own  bosoms  a  hundred  fold  for  all  the  kindness  which  they 
may  show  to  my  dear  and  afflicted  brother  Torrey.  Tell 
2t 


242  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

them  that  I  very  much  desire  that  they  should  read,  and  if 
consistent  with  their  duty,  let  you  read  the  book  entitled  *  Sil 
vio  Pellico.'  The  book  gives  a  most  interesting  account  of 
Silvio's  confinement  in  prison.  It  costs  but  two  shillings — 
and  the  reading  of  the  exercises  of  this  Christian  poet  will 
render  any  Christian  a  better  Christian.  Greatly  do  my 
dear  wife  and  I  desire  that  you  may  be  allowed  to  read  this 
book. 

"  I  hope  you  never  indulge  the  thought  that  you  would  es 
cape  from  the  prison,  if  you  could.  I  have  not  yet  ceased 
to  be  sorry  that  you  attempted  to  break  jail.  For  the  profit 
of  your  soul,  I  wish  you  to  study  and  practise  contentment  in 
your  hard  lot.  For  the  honor  of  the  gospel,  which  you  pro 
fess,  and  for  the  benefit  of  the  dear  cause  and  interests  with 
which  your  name  is  so  honorably  identified,  I  trust  it  is  to  ap 
pear  that  Charles  T.  Torrey  is  eminently  patient  under  all 
the  burdens  God  lays  upon  him.  Remember,  my  dear  brother, 
that  along  with  your  vigorous  mind  and  liberal  education, 
you  have  the  fault  of  a  naturally  proud  spirit.  Grace  had 
done  much  to  conquer  it  before  you  entered  your  prison — but 
grace  is  to  complete  this  work  in  your  prison.  What  a  merci 
ful  confinement,  if  you  shall  come  out  of  it  as  subdued  and 
childlike  as  the  gospel  requires  you  to  be,  as  subdued  and 
childlike  as  implicit  faith  in  the  Saviour  will  render  you  ! 

"  Be  of  good  cheer,  my  dear  brother  !  Keep  a  brave  heart ! 
If  you  have  to  remain  in  prison  six  years,  it  will  do  you  no 
harm,  if  you  love  God.  But  you  will  not  be  there  so  long. 
The  justice  and  mercy  of  Maryland  will  not  let  you  remain 
there  half  that  length  of  time.  My  wife  joins  me  in  love 
to  you.  Your  friend  and  brother, 

GERRIT    SMITH." 

"  P.  S.  I  write  this  letter  in  the  Library — the  room  in 
which  you  wrote  so  many  hours,  a  year  ago  last  July. 

"If  they,  whose  duty  it  is  to  read  this  letter  before  you  can 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  243 

read  it,  see  any  thing  wrong  in  it,  let  them  inform  me  what  it 
is,  in  a  letter,  (postage  unpaid,)  and  I  will  avoid  the  error  in 
my  future  letters  to  you." 

"  January  15,  1845. 

"  My  Dear  Husband, — I  have  not  written  to  you  before, 
because  I  have  not  received  that  letter  from  you,  which  you 
promised  to  send  me,  which  you  said  would  inform  me  to 
whom  I  might  entrust  my  letters,  and  also  many  other  circum 
stances  about  your  imprisonment  in  the  Penitentiary,  which 
you  said  you  could  ascertain  before  you  went  there.  I  have 
received  several  letters  from  you,  and  as  none  of  them  con 
tained  these  particulars,  I  conclude  you  forgot  that  you  prom 
ised  to  write  them  to  me.  In  consequence  of  this  failure  I 
should  not  have  ventured  to  write  to  you  now,  without  first 
addressing  Mr.  Johnson  upon  the  subject,  had  not  Mr.  Leavitt 
very  kindly  written  to  me,  and  informed  me  that  I  can  for  the 
present  send  them  to  him,  and  he  will  see  that  they  are  sent  to 
you. 

"  I  hear  that  you  have  gone  to  the  Penitentiary !  And 
though  I  feel  it  still  more  even,  than  I  thought  I  should,  still, 
I  would  entreat  you  to  be  of  good  cheer.  Your  imprisonment 
may  be  the  means  of  great  good,  and  God  grant  that  it  may 
not  be  long  ! 

"  Our  dear  children  often  weep  when  they  speak  of  their 
dear  father,  and  anxiously  inquire,  *  how  long  will  it  be  before 
father  will  come  home?'  And  when  I  present  the  mo 
tive  of  their  father's  approbation,  as  an  incentive  to  good 
conduct,  I  find  it  one  of  the  most  powerful  means  to  induce 
them  to  do  well. 

"  How  I  wish  I  could  look  in  upon  you  and  see  how  you 
are  situated.  But  I  fear  it  would  only  make  me  and  you 
feel  worse.  I  have  not  yet  received  all  your  papers,  but 
hope  to  do  so  soon.  If  nothing  happens  to  prevent,  I  shall 
commence  to-morrow  looking  over  your  papers  preparato- 


244  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

•ry  to  editing  that  book,  and  be  assured  I  will  do  the  best 
I  can. 

"  I  wish  to  repeat  it,  be  as  cheerful  as  you  can,  in  this  try 
ing  time,  and  '  in  patience  possess  your  soul.'  This  is  the 
Lord's  doing,  we  both  believe,  though  man  be  not  guiltless  in 
placing  you  here,  and  let  us  both  be  apt  scholars  in  learning 
the  lesson  which  God  in  this  providence  would  teach.  In  the 
light  of  eternity,  I  think  we  shall  wonder  that  we  did  not  see 
here,  what  a  rich  boon  our  afflictions  are,  inasmuch  as  we 
practically  learn  by  them,  that  all  things  below  are  vanity, 
and  that  God  is  the  only  true  fountain  and  source  of  bliss. — 
With  the  presence  of  this  heavenly  guest,  your  prison  may 
become  a  palace.  I  tremble,  when  I  think  of  the  striking 
providences  in  which  God  has  dealt  with  us  !  And  He  means 
something  by  them  !  Let  us  in  some  measure  understand  the 
counsels  of  the  Almighty  in  this  respect,  as  far,  I  mean,  as  is 
proper,  and  improve  by  them  as  He  intended  we  should ; 
for,  tremendous  are  the  responsibilities  of  those  who  have  had 
great  opportunities  for  learning  their  duty,  and  the  vanity  of 
the  world!  whether  these  opportunities  be  merciful  or  af 
flictive.  Alexis's  health  is  better  than  when  I  wrote  you  last, 
and  the  doctor  has  given  him  some  hopes  of  recovery.  When 
the  doctor  said  this,  Alexis  looked  disappointed.  He  had 
made  up  his  mind  to  die,  and  the  world  looked  to  him  as  a 
bubble,  and  he  desired  not  to  remain  in  it  any  longer.  Now, 
he  seems  pleased  somewhat  with  a  prospect  of  life,  but  says, 
he  has  nothing  to  say,  but  leaves  the  matter  entirely  with  God. 

"  By  the  way,  in  several  of  your  letters  you  speak  of  not 
hearing  from  me  ;  and  I  strongly  suspect  that  my  letter  has  not 
reached  you.  Well,  let  those  who  would  intercept  my  let 
ters  to  you,  have  it,  if  they  will.  I  wrote  nothing,  as  I  can 
recollect,  that  would  be  objectionable  to  any  one.  But  do  not 
think  I  shall  neglect  you.  I  will  write  as  often  as  I  can  be 
allowed  to,  and  shall  never  cease  to  speak  of  you  to  the  chil 
dren,  or  remember  you  in  my  supplications  at  the  throne  of 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  245 

grace  ;  we  can  meet  there,  notwithstanding  the  distance  there 
is  between  us,  and  the.  thickness  of  the  prison  wall. 

"  Remember  that  your  health  depends  upon  your  spirits, 
and  unless  you  can  keep  them  up,  you  will  not  be  so  likely 
to  endure  your  captivity.  Let  then,  the  determination  not  to 
be  sacrificed  upon  the  altar  of  Slavery,  keep  up  your  spirits 
till  the  joyful  day  shall  come,  when  the  term  for  which  you 
are  imprisoned  shall  be  at  an  end.  In  God,  you  can  do  all 
things ;  then  trust  in  Him  to  sustain  you  till  the  end.  Write 
to  me,  if  the  Warden  will  permit  you  to  do  so,  and  as  often 
as  possible.  But  let  me  entreat  you  again  in  patience  to 
possess  your  soul. 

Your  affectionate  wife, 

MARY  I.  TORREY. 

"  West  Medway,  Feb.,  1845. 

"  My  Dear  Husband, — I  received  your  very  welcome  let 
ter  about  a  fortnight  since,  and  I  thought  when  it  came,  that  it 
would  have  been  answered  before  this ;  but  I  have  been  so 
busy,  book-making,  and  attending  to  our  dear  children,  that  I 
have  delayed  it  day  after  day,  until  the  present  time.  I  will 
try  and  observe  the  restrictions  that  you  mentioned  in  your 
letter,  but  it  will  be  hard  work  to  write  to  you  without  telling 
you  any  news.  Indeed,  I  do  not  think  it  is  intended  to  ex 
clude  any  information  respecting  your  family  and  friends 
which  I  may  communicate. 

"  Brother  Alexis,  we  hope,  will  live,  but  his  physicians 
say  it  is  still  a  very  doubtful  case,  though  there  may  be  hope. 
Father's  health  is  improving,  and  the  rest  of  the  family  are 
in  usual  health.  Perhaps  you  are  in  a  hurry  to  hear  about 
the  children.  I  thought  I  would  speak  of  them — and  of  my 
self  last,  because  of  the  most  importance  in  your  estimation. 
Charles  is  in  fine  health,  and  generally  in  good  spirits,  save 
when  he  is  talking  about  his  father,  and  how  long  it  will  be 
before  you  will  return.  Then,  his  patience  almost  forsakes 
21* 


246  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

liim  ;  but  he  says  he  will  try  to  be  a  good  boy  and  obey  his 
mother,  'because  it  will  please  father.'  He  improves  quite 
rapidly  in  his  studies,  and  exhibits  quite  a  fondness  for  read 
ing.  Mary  is  not  as  well  as  usual  to-night,  but  you  need  not 
be  alarmed,  for  I  think  it  will  prove  to  be  nothing  but  a  se 
vere  cold.  She  seems  to  be  rather  feverish,  but  I  have  ap 
plied  remedies  that  I  think  will  be  successful  in  relieving  it. 
I  wish  sometimes  that  you  could  look  into  our  room,  and  see 
Charles  and  Mary  with  your  miniature.  They  take  it  and  talk 
to  it,  carry  it  about,  and  really  seem  sometimes  as  though 
they  thought  you  had  returned.  It  is  a  great  comfort,  I  as 
sure  you,  to  have  it,  and  especially  as  it  is  such  a  good  one. 

"  My  own  health  is  quite  good,  considering  my  feeble  con 
stitution.  If  I  had  not  been  sitting  up  too  late,  for  several 
nights  past,  I  should  feel  quite  well.  But  I  am  not  accus 
tomed  to  such  things,  and  it  affects  me  very  much,  so  much 
so  that  I  can  hardly  write  a  decent  letter.  I  forgot  to  men 
tion,  that  it  is  now  '  time  all  honest  folks  were  in  bed/  but  I 
have  determined,  if  I  can  keep  my  eyes  open,  that  another 
day  shall  not  pass,  before  I  have  written  to  you.  0  !  there 
is  one  thing  I  will  mention  here,  lest  I  forget  it :  uncle 
Samuel  A.  Turner  wrote  me  that  he  was  going  to  Baltimore 
in  a  few  weeks,  and  he  will  call  and  see  you,  if  he  can  be  ad 
mitted.  In  the  same  letter,  he  mentions  that  your  grandfa 
ther  and  aunt  Fanny  were  in  usual  health. 

"  I  have  been  thinking  since  I  mentioned  Mary's  illness, 
that  it  might  make  you  unhappy,  thinking  I  had  not  written 
to  you  as  bad  as  it  was ;  but  be  assured  I  have.  If  we  are 
truly  submissive  to  God,  we  shall  not  indulge  our  fears  to  any 
great  extent,  because,  we  know  that  '  all  things  shall  work 
together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God.'  I  hope  you  will 
be  enabled  to  bear  your  imprisonment  with  patience,  and  I 
pray  God  you  may  do  good  while  you  are  in  prison.  Try 
to  remember,  when  you  are  severely  tried,  and  I  presume 
that  will  of  necessity  be  quite  often,  whose  ambassador  you 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  247 

are !     God  has,  in  his  providence,  called  you   to   represent 
Him,  in  prison  ! — try  to  do  it  faithfully! 
Your  affectionate  wife, 

MARY  I.  TORREY. 

"  West  Medivay,  April  1,  1845. 

"  My  dear  husband, — I  should  have  answered  your  two 
letters  before  this,  but  I  have  been  waiting,  to  know  what  to 
write  you  about  your  manuscript  of  Home,  which  I  carried  to 
the  printer  some  time  since.  But  not  hearing  from  him  as 
I  expected  to  do,  I  have  concluded  to  write,  and  wait  till  an 
other  opportunity  to  inform  you  of  its  fate  and  progress. 

"  I  have  procured  you  an  Italian  Bible,  from  the  Bible  So 
ciety.  It  cost  $2,37.Jf ;  rather  more  expensive  than  I  sup 
posed  it  would  have  been ;  but  it  is  a  good  one. 

"  I  received  a  letter,  a  short  time  since,  from  Mr.  Asa  Child, 
giving  me  some  encouragement  to  hope  that  ere  long,  by  pa 
tient  effort,  the  governor  might  be  induced  to  liberate  you. 
He  said  that  he  wished  the  cooperation  of  jour  friends.  Fa 
ther  has  consulted  some  of  the  senate,  particularly  Linus  Child, 
the  brother  of  Mr.  Asa  Child.  He  has  taken  time  to  think 
of  it,  and  has  written  to  father,  that  if  you  will  say  to  me,  or 
father,  that  if  you  get  out  you  will  never  go  into  those  States 
FOR  THAT  PURPOSE  AGAIN,  he  thinks  the  most  influential 
members  of  the  senate  will  petition  for  your  pardon.  Mr.  Child 
says,  that  unless  you  will  give  us  that  assurance,  the  senators 
will  not  do  anything  about  it.  If  you  will  do  that,  they  will 
all,  he  thinks,  petition  the  governor  to  pardon  you.  And 
the  governor  of  Massachusetts,  he  also  thinks,  will  use  all  his 
influence  with  the  governors  of  Maryland  and  Virginia.  He 
says  it  is  never  customary  for  one  governor  to  petition  to  an 
other,  but  he  thinks  Gov.  Briggs  will  do  as  much  as  that  in 
another  way. 

"  Now  if  you  will  say  that  you  will  not  go  into  those  States 


248  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

again,  for  the  purposes  for  which  you  are  now  imprisoned, 
then  you  must  write  immediately  and  say  so.  Now  I  think 
you  can  say  that,  but  I  have  ever  felt  doubtful  about  making 
those  concessions,  which  would  imply  any  duplicity  on  your 
part.  When  you  come  out,  I  want  to  feel  that  it  is  an  honor 
able  acquittal ;  and  as  dearly  as  you  love  liberty,  I  do  not  be 
lieve  you  love  it  better  than  you  do  integrity.  But  what  the 
senators  wish  you  to  say,  is  not  inconsistent  with  integrity. 
I  have  been  to  Scituate,  to  read  your  manuscript  of  Home  to 
your  grandmother.  She  likes  it  very  much,  though  she  thinks, 
in  one  or  two  places,  you  were  mistaken  about  the  facts,  and 
those  I  have  corrected. 

"  Charles  says,  tell  pa  that  he  braids  four  yards  of  straw 
every  day,  and  almost  every  day  gets  it  done  quick ;  that  he 
loves  you  very  much  ;  that  he  went  to  afire  the  other  night, 
and  helped  put  it  out  by  throwing  on  sand  ;  that  he  is  a  pret 
ty  good  boy,  but  not  very.  Mary  sends  her  love  to  pa,  and 
says,  tell  him  I  wish  the  men  would  not  keep  you  any  longer, 
but  let  you  come  home  quick ;  that  she  should  be  happy  to 
come  and  see  you,  if  she  dared.  Your  aunt  Fanny  wants  you 
to  write  a  few  lines  to  her,  in  my  letter.  Grandmother  sends 
a  great  deal  of  love,  and  prays  for  you  continually.  Uncle 
Theodore  says,  tell  Charles,  if  there  was  anything  I  could  do 
for  him,  I  would  do  it  with  pleasure.  I  am  pretty  sure  he 
said  he  would  be  willing  to  suffer  for  you  a  part  of  the  time, 
if  it  could  do  you  any  good. 

"We  had  something  quite  remarkable  for  us,  a  fre,  the 
other  night.  Mrs.  Hastings  had  been  absent  about  a  fortnight, 
when  her  barn  was  discovered,  one  night,  to  be  on  fire.  You 
know  a  fire  there  would  render  father's  buildings  in  danger, 
if  the  wind  was  the  right  way ;  but  fortunately  the  wind  was 
north-east,  and  thus  not  only  father's  buildings,  but  Mrs.  Has 
tings'  house  and  wood-shed  were  saved.  Father  says  the 
senators,  this  year,  are  very  influential  men,  and  that  the  gov- 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  249 

ernor  will  certify  to  their  standing.     When  I  write  you  again, 
I  hope  to  be  able  to  tell  you  more  news. 

Your  affectionate  wife, 

MARY  I.  TORREY." 

"  West  Medway,  May  2,  1845. 

"My  dear  husband, —  I  wrote  you  several  weeks  since, 
asking  you  to  answer  it  immediately,  and  tell  me  if  you  would 
be  willing  to  say  to  me,  that  you  would  not  go  into  the  States 
of  Maryland  and  Virginia  for  the  purpose  of  enticing  or  as 
sisting  slaves  away  from  their  masters,  if  you  were  liberated. 
You  have  not  answered  the  question,  and  I  do  not  know 
whether  you  have  not  received  the  letter,  or  whether  you 
have  not  been  permitted  to  write. 

"  Mr.  Webster  will  bring  this  letter  to  you,  and  perhaps 
they  will  allow  you  to  answer  it  through  him,  if  you  cannot 
write.  I  have  quite  a  headache  to-day  ;  otherwise,  my  health 
is  good,  and  so  is  that  of  the  children.  They  pray  every  day 
for  father,  and  you  may  rest  assured  that  you  are  not  forgot 
ten  by  their  mother.  Your  books  are  not  published  yet.  The 
delay  of  Home  is  occasioned  by  the  unwillingness  of  the  print 
ers  to  assume  the  responsibility.  I  believe  many  who  have 
examined  it,  think  it  very  interesting  and  well  written.  The 
'  Letters'  are  not  quite  finished  yet,  but  I  am  expecting  every 
day  to  complete  them.  I  am  aware  that  this  is  sad  news  to 
a  prisoner,  but  you  must  not  be  discouraged,  but  *  hope  on, 
hope  ever.'  You  know  I  always  write  very  slowly ;  and 
now,  when  so  many  cares  and  duties  devolve  upon  me,  it 
seems  as  though  I  was  necessarily  slower  than  ever. 

"  School  does  not  keep  now ;  and  it  is  almost  impossible 
for  me  to  write,  when  the  children  are  in  the  room  with  me. 
I  am  trying  to  teach  them  to  be  useful ;  but  never  did  I  feel 
my  inefficiency  as  I  do  now.  I  throw  my  cares  and  my  bur 
den  upon  God,  and  it  is  a  relief.  O  !  that  He  would  enable 
us  all,  both  parents  and  children,  to  live  in  such  a  manner  as 


250  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

will  please  him.  If  we  could  but  keep  eternity  in  view,  and  live 
in  reference  to  our  preparation  for  it,  then  we  should  begin 
to  be  rational.  I  feel  that  my  Christian  course  is  so  irregu 
lar  and  inconsistent,  that  I  am  not  fit  to  bring  up  our  dear 
children  ;  and  I  sometimes,  yes  often,  fear  that  God  will  think 
it  necessary  to  remove  me  from  them,  if  he  has  designs  of 
mercy  toward  them. 

"  I  know  you  do  not  forget  them ;  but  let  us  pray  more 
earnestly,  not  only  for  their  conversion  and  sanctifi cation, 
but  for  our  own.  Perhaps  when  we  are  more  holy,  God  will 
again  restore  us  to  each  other.  He  can  incline  the  hearts  of 
those  who  keep  you  imprisoned  to  release  you  ;  and  he  can 
and  will  do  all  his  pleasure.  I  have  not  seen  your  grand 
mother  since  I  wrote  you  before.  Aunt  Amanda  has  been 
very  dangerously  sick,  but  is  now  recovering.  If  you  have 
never  received  my  last  letter,  of  course  you  have  not  re 
ceived  your  Italian  Bible,  which  I  sent  at  the  same  time  and 
in  the  same  way.  If  you  have  not  received  them,  I  hope 
you  will  inform  me,  in  some  way  or  other.  Your  cousin, 
Horace  James,  often  inquires  after  you,  as  also  almost  every 
one  else  does.  You  may  be  assured  you  are  not  forgotten. 
I  have  several  items  of  news,  which  I  should  like  to  commu 
nicate,  but  they  are  such  as  are  not  proper  to  mention  here, 
where  everything  is  read  by  others.  It  is  quite  a  trial  to  sit 
down  and  write  to  one  whom  you  have  not  seen  so  long,  and 
be  obliged  to  omit  almost  all  you  want  to  say.  However,  we 
ought  to  be  thankful,  that  we  have  this  means  of  communi 
cation.  But  we  did  not  understand  our  privileges  when*  we 
could  write  letters  and  seal  them. 

"  It  is  getting  quite  late  to-night,  and  I  must  close  this  let 
ter  ;  but  if  I  could  say  all  I  wished,  I  should  not  much  mind 
the  lateness  of  the  hour.  Good  night. 

Your  affectionate  wife, 

MARY  I.  TORREY." 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  251 

"  West  Medway,  June,  1845. 

"  My  dearest  husband, — Your  welcome  letter,  dated  April 
29th,  was  duly  received.  Since  then,  I  presume  you  have  re 
ceived  one  from  me  by  Mr.  Webster. 

"  I  have  intended  to  answer  your  last  every  day  since  I  re 
ceived  it ;  but  my  cares  never  seemed  to  press  heavier  than 
they  have  lately ;  and  I  have  postponed  it,  in  the  vain  hope 
that  the  succeeding  day  would  afford  me  more  leisure.  When 
I  allude  to  cares,  you  need  not  afflict  yourself  because  you 
think  I  have  too  much  to  do.  It  is  not  that  I  have  so  much  to  do, 
but  because  I  have  so  little  faculty  to  accomplish  what  I  un 
dertake. 

"  But  I  could  write  to  you  often,  notwithstanding  all  these 
obstacles,  could  I  but  sit  down  and  write  as  I  wish.  But  this 
constrained  correspondence  is  one  of  the  greatest  of  my  trials. 
I  suppose  my  letters  are  a  comfort  to  you,  as  poor  and  mea 
gre  as  they  are,  because  you  are  glad  of  any  token  of  re 
membrance.  It  is  this  thought  only  that  gives  me  pleasure 
when  I  write.  But  it  is  no  relief  to  me.  I  cannot  speak  of 
my  joys  and  sorrows ;  for  my  letter  must  pass  through  other 
hands  than  yours.  I  do  not  wish  to  complain,  but  I  do  feel 
tried.  We  did  not  know  how  to  appreciate  our  privileges 
when  you  were  in  the  jail,  for  then  we  might  be  allowed  to 
hold  communion  by  letters,  if  we  could  not  see  each  other 
face  to  face. 

"  Perhaps  it  is  wrong  to  write,  in  this  melancholy  strain, 
to  one  who  cannot  relieve  me  ;  and  I  will  try  to  make  the  re 
mainder  of  my  letter  more  cheerful.  One  thing  I  am  sure 
will  make  you  laugh.  It  is  this ;  I  have  tried  to  write  so  bad 
that  no  one  but  you  could  spell  it  out ;  and  it  seems,  from  a 
remark  you  made  in  your  last,  that  I  almost  succeeded.  Your 
answer  to  the  question  proposed  by  Linus  Child,  is  to  me  per 
fectly  satisfactory.  It  seems  to  me,  that  if  you  had  gone  any 
farther,  you  would  have  sacrificed  your  integrity.  If  you  had 
not  said  as  much  as  you  did,  that  you  would  have  erred  upon 


252  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

the  other  side.     Whether  Mr.  Child  and  the  other  senators 
are  satisfied  with  your  answer,  I  have  not  yet  learned. 

"  It  is  well  sometimes  to  remember  the  fable  of  the  old  man 
who  tried  to  please  every  body ;  and  then  if  we  do  what  in 
our  judgment  is  right,  we  shall  feel  willing  to  waive  the  opin 
ions  of  men,  and  trust  our  cause  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord, 
who  is  able  to  do  more  for  us  than  his  feeble  creatures,  and 
even  make  their  wrath  praise  him.  You  mentioned  you  had 
not  received  your  Italian  Bible.  I  hope  Mr.  Child  will  not 
withhold  it  any  longer.  You  must  need  it  by  this  time. 

"  I  attended  the  Anniversaries  in  Boston — saw  many  old 
friends,  every  one  of  whom  inquired  after  you  with  much 
interest.  Mr.  Phelps  has  removed  to  New  York,  as  editor  of 
the  American  and  Foreign  —  Reporter.  He  was  in  Boston, 
however,  at  the  Anniversaries,  and  assisted  me  in  revising 
my  book.  Of  that  last  mentioned  article  I  do  not  like  to  say 
much.  I  have  labored  under  many  disadvantages  in  writing 
it,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  writing  while  my  children  were 
in  the  room,  and  necessarily  requiring  a  good  deal  of  attention. 

"  Mr.  Phelps  thinks  it  barely  possible  that  he  may  visit 
you  this  fall.  He  spoke  of  you  affectionately,  and  takes  a 
lively  interest  in  your  case.  Brother  Alexis  wished  me  to 
leave  a  space  in  this  letter  for  him  to  write  to  you.  But  I 
think  I  must  occupy  it  nearly  all  myself  this  time.  Isabella 
wished  me  to  be  sure  and  give  her  love  ;  and  all  of  father's 
family  wish  me  to  assure  you  of  their  sympathy  and  remem 
brance. 

"  Father  has  just  returned  from  Mr.  Homer's  funeral.  He 
died  on  Saturday,  of  a  paralytic  shock.  His  funeral  was  at 
tended  in  Park  Street  church,  and  Mr,  Aiken,  Mr.  Rogers, 
and  one  other  minister,whose  name  I  have  forgotten,  officiated. 

"  Mr.  Webster,  I  understand,  has  returned,  but  I  have  not 
seen  him.  I  have  expected  he  would  come  and  see  me,  and 
give  me  many  particulars  respecting  his  interview  with  you. 
Some  one  mentioned  the  other  day,  with  how  much  truth  I 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  253 

cannot  tell,  that  lie  had  not  returned  to  Hopkinton,  but  sim 
ply  to  Boston ;  and  finding  his  wife  was  not  as  well,  he  has 
taken  her  another  journey.  This  I  very  much  doubt,  but  it 
may  be  true. 

"  It  is  very  late  at  night.  All  in  the  house  have  been 
quietly  sleeping  for  some  time,  and  I  must  bid  you  good  night. 
I  fully  believe  that  we  shall  not  long  thus  be  separated. 
Trust  in  God,  and  he  can  dispose  those  who  imprison  you 
to  release  you.  Our  dear  little  children  !  I  had  almost  for 
gotten  to  add  their  messages  of  love.  But  they  send  much 
love,  and  wish  father  to  know  that  they  mean  to  be  good, 
and  that  they  pray  for  you  every  day.  Charles  is  trying  to 
learn  to  write  his  father  a  letter.  Again,  good  night. 
Your  affectionate  wife, 

MARY  I.  TORREY/' 

"  West  Medway,  July,  1845. 

"  My  Dear  Husband, — Do  not  reproach  me  for  not  writing 
to  you  before.  I  know  that  it  looks  unkind  to  leave  you  so 
long  without  hearing  from  me  ;  but  when  you  hear  my  rea 
sons,  perhaps  you  will  not  think  it  was  so  in  fact. 

"  Ever  since  I  wrote  you  last,  I  have  been  quite  unwell, 
not  sick  enough  to  dignify  it  with  that  name  ;  but  so  weak, 
that  much  of  the  time  I  felt  unable  to  sit  up,  or  if  I  did,  to  do 
anything  but  sleep,  unless  it  was  absolutely  necessary.  In 
this  time,  I  have  performed  considerable  labor,  but  it  has 
been  the  performance  of  duties  from  which  I  could  not  shrink. 
But  this  alone,  did  not  prevent  my  writing.  My  head  has 
felt  so  strangely  that  it  pained  me  to  think.  Making  no  calcu 
lations  for  being  sick,  I  had  previously  accepted  proposals 
from  the  publishers  of  the  '  Youth's  Cabinet',  to  become  one 
of  the  regular  contributors  to  that  paper.  I  engaged  to  send 
them  a  communication  at  a  given  time,  and  I  felt  rny  honor 
was  depending  upon  the  fulfilment  of  the  engagement  prompt 
ly.  But  my  head  was  in  such  a  state,  that  you  could  have  no 
22 


254  MEMOIR  OF  TORRKY. 

letter,  and  they  could  have  no  article.  At  length,  by  perse 
verance,  writing  a  little  while,  and  lying  down  a  great  while, 
I  have  succeeded  in  sending  them  the  communication,  though 
it  was  not  in  season  for  publication  in  the  No.  I  intended.  — 
The  publisher  was  very  kind,  though  I  disappointed  him,  and 
wrote  me  he  liked  the  article,  and  forwarded  the  money  in 
the  letter.  This  was  quite  unexpected.  I  did  not  expect  to 
receive  my  pay  till  the  end  of  the  year.  Now,  my  dear  hus 
band,  is  not  this  a  long  apology  ?  I  have  thought  of  you 
often,  though  you  have  had  no  evidence  of  it  for  such  a  long 
time.  It  is  a  comforting  thought,  that  man  can  do  nothing  to 
us  which  is  not  seen  and  known  by  our  heavenly  Father ; 
therefore  let  us  '  hope  on,  hope  ever.'  God  will  avenge  those 
who  suffer  wrongfully,  in  his  own  time.  Gov.  Lincoln  will 
sign  a  petition  for  your  release,  accompanied  by  other  mem 
bers  of  the  Senate,  and  several  Judges. 

"  Last  week  I  received  a  proposal  to  write  for  the  Literary 
Emporium,  published  in  New  York  city.  I  do  not  think  I 
shall  be  able  to  furnish  anything  for  a  work  of  that  charac 
ter.  It  is  not  denominational,  but  rather  too  literary  for 
one  whose  head  is  in  such  a  state  as  mine  has  been  lately, 
not  to  say  anything  of  my  incompetency  when  I  am  well. 
"  Charles  and  Mary  do  not  forget  their  father.  Charles,  I 
think,  improves  some  ;  but  it  is  a  great  responsibility  to  bring 
him  up  as  he  should  be,  and  I  sometimes  shrink  from  the 
task,  as  entirely  incompetent.  But  I  endeavor  to  rely  upon 
the  promises,  that  wisdom  shall  be  given  to  those  who  seek  it. 
I  find  the  children  are  anxious  to  talk  as  other  children  do  at 
school,  using  by- words ;  they  do  not  use  '  wicked  words,'  but 
large  words,  thinking  it  makes  them  great.  I  have  studied 
some  time  how  I  should  prevent  them  from  wishing  to  do  so. 
I  have  at  length  adopted  this  expedient.  I  am  teaching  them 
o  speak  in  French.  It  seems  thus  far  to  be  a  good  substi- 
ute.  But  Charles  is  absent-minded.  He  will  drop  his  knife 
t»nd  fork  while  eating,  and  apparently  forget  there  is  any  food 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  255 

before  him  till  he  is  reminded  of  it.     He  loves  to  think,  but 
what  shall  I  do  with  him  to  make  him  think  at  proper  times? 

"  Your  cousin,  Horace  James,  with  his  wife  and  several  la 
dies,  who  were  visiting  them,  came  over  and  spent  the  after 
noon  last  week.  Mr.  Dowse,  of  Sherburne,  Mr,  Smalley,  of 
Worcester,  your  cousin  Horace,  and  Mr.  Phelps  wish  to  be 
particularly  remembered  to  you.  Mr.  Phelps  is  very  kind  to 
me,  and  so  in  fact  is  every  body.  Your  manuscript  of  '  Home* 
is  not  yet  published.  I  shall  try  to  press  the  publication  of 
i  Home,'  but  I  very  much  doubt  whether  it  is  wise  to  issue 
the  Letters,  if  we  attempt  to  get  you  pardoned.  Therefore  I 
shall  watch  the  movements  of  Providence.  If  it  would  be 
the  means  of  prolonging  your  imprisonment,  I  would  not 
have  them  published;  the  Committee  think  it  will  not  be 
best.  I  shall  abide  by  their  judgment,  unless  Providence 
poi»ts  another  way.  Meanwhile,  remember,  when  you  are 
entreated  to  be  recreant  to  your  honest  convictions  for  the 
sake  of  release — of  which,  after  all,  you  are  not  certain — the 
charge  in  Revelation :  '  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I 
will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life !'  Yes,  if  you  do  right,  you 
will  not  need  to  wait  till  death,  to  receive  your  reward.  I 
believe  it  is  at  hand. 

"  Please  say  to  Mr.  Child,  that  I  received  his  kind  letter 
some  time  since,  but  have  not  been  able  to  answer  it ;  and 
tell  him  also,  that  I  cannot  obtain  any  information  respecting 
Heckrotte's  slaves.  I  do  not  believe  they  have  ever  been 
in  Massachusetts. 

Your  affectionate  wife, 

MARY  I.  TORREY." 

"  West  Medway,  Sept.  13,  1845. 

"My  dearest  husband,  —  I  have  been  looking  in  vain 
these  many  months  for  a  letter  from  you,  but  none  has  been 
received.  I  wish  you  would  write  me  one  letter  and  tell  me 
why  you  do  not  write.  Do  you  receive  all  my  letters  ? 


256  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

"  In  your  former  letters,  you  wrote  that  you  could  be  per 
mitted  to  write  to  me  once  in  three  months  ;  but  it  is  now 
nearly  four  months  since  I  have  received  a  line  from  you. 
I  hope  you  have  not  forgotten  your  wife  and  children.  If  I 
may  not  plead  for  a  letter  for  myself,  let  me  at  least  ask  one 
for  my  children. 

"  Charles  and  Mary  both  have  severe  colds,  but  neither  of 
them  are  sick.  Father  has  just  returned  from  New  York, 
where  he  has  been  to  attend  the  meeting  of  the  American 
Board.  He  started  with  the  intention  of  going  to  Baltimore 
before  he  returned,  for  the  express  purpose  of  seeing  you, 
and  trying  to  see  what  could  be  done  to  effect  your  liberation. 
The  first  night  he  was  there,  he  was  taken  violently  sick  with 
what  he  supposes  was  the  cholera.  As  soon  as  he  dared  at 
tempt  it,  he  set  out  for  home.  He  looks  quite  worn  out.  It 
seems  Providence  was  not  quite  ready  for  him  to  comey  for 
the  same  day  that  he  started  for  home,  he  received  a  line 
stating  that  deacon  Wiley  was  failing  very  fast,  and  request 
ing  him  to  hurry  home.  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  you 
should  see  him  before  winter  yet.  But  one  thing  is  certain, 
he  will  stay  at  home  until  he  gets  better  and  stronger.  But 
do  not  despair ;  brother  Phelps  will  be  there  in  the  course  of 
two  or  three  weeks,  and  you  know  he  is  an  efficient  man.  If 
anything  can  be  done,  he  can  do  it.  He  has  been  very  kind 
to  me  in  procuring  employment  for  my  pen.  You  see  it  will 
hardly  write  now  ;  but  the  fault  is  not  so  much  with  my  pen 
as  with  my  ink.  I  am  afraid  I  shall  not  be  able  to  finish  this 
letter;  it  is  late,  Saturday  night,  and  I  cannot  get  any  more 
till  Monday.  Upon  looking  at  my  writing,  I  find  that  it  does 
not  look  much  worse  than  common,  so  I  am  afraid  you  will 
not  appreciate  my  trials  in  regard  to  it.  I  cannot  tell  you 
any  good  news.  My  mind  looks  upon  the  dark  side  of  hu 
man  life.  All  our  good  folks  seem  to  be  dying  off  in  Med- 
way,  and  scarcely  any  rising  up  to  fill  their  places.  I  do  not 
mean  that  there  are  not  inhabitants  enough,  but  we  have  so 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  257 

few  conversions,  in  proportion  to  the  deaths  among  the  mem 
bers  of  the  church. 

"  To-morrow  is  the  Sabbath.  Let  us  spend  it  together, 
%>ugh  we  are  so  far  apart.  It  is  a  pleasant  thought,  when  I 
am  praying,  that  I  have  one  who  is  probably  uttering  similar 
petitions  at  the  same  time.  0,  how  great  a  privilege  it  is  to 
be  allowed  to  pray.  Let  us  use  this  weapon  against  our  ene 
mies  faithfully.  They  cannot  prevent  us,  no  !  Nor  can  they 
prevent  the  blessing  with  which  God  may  crown  our  faith. 
Remember,  Apollyon  was  vanquished,  when  Christian  be 
thought  himself  of  his  weapon  '  All-Prayer.'  Try  this  wea 
pon,  my  dear  husband.  I  will  try  it,  though  our  enemies 
laugh,  and  say,  '  Aha,  so  would  we  have  it ;'  they  may  yet 
see  our  strength  is  in  God,  and  we  shall  prevail ;  as  the  in 
habitants  of  Jericho  derided  the  '  rams'  horns  and  pitchers,' 
but  to  their  shame  found  them  filled  with  the  wrath  of  God 
which  was  poured  upon  their  heads,  and  trumpets  to  proclaim 
their  defeat,  so  may  our  enemies  find  our  God  is  a  great  God, 
and  can  work  deliverance  where  man  cannot,  and  where  the 
beholders,  our  enemies,  would  cry,  '  there  is  no  help.'  I  am 
looking  forward  to  the  day,  and  believe  it  will  come,  but  how 
it  will  be  accomplished  I  know  not,  when  you  will  be  restored 
to  your  family.  So  do  not  despair.  I  know  it  will  be  so. 
'  Hope  thou  in  God.' 

Your  affectionate  wife, 

MARY  I.  TORREY." 

"  Sept.  1845. 

**  Dear  Torrey, — I  scarcely  know  whether  I  have  an  ex 
istence  in  your  memory  or  not ;  but  well  do  I  know  that  I 
have  not  forgotten  you.  I  have  not  forgotten  the  hours 
when  my  comrades  and  myself  used  to  listen  for  hours  to 
your  entertaining  conversation  ;  or  the  times  when  you  corn- 
batted,  before  the  people,  what  you  believed  to  be  falsehood, 
and  maintained  what  you  believed  to  be  the  truth. 
22* 


258  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

"  Though  not  united  with  you,  in  many  things,  you  al 
ways  excited  a  special  interest  in  my  mind  for  you  personally  ; 
and  since  your  imprisonment,  I  have  thought  long  and  often 
about  you  :  would  that  my  thinking  had  been  of  some  service 
to  you. 

"  I  have  been  under  the  impression,  from  some  newspaper 
item,  that  none  but  your  relatives  were  allowed  to  correspond 
with  you,  and  that  only  at  stated  intervals ;  and  was  sur 
prised  when,  a  few  days  since,  my  friend  Dillwyn  Jones  called 
and  informed  me  that  he  had  visited  you,  and  that  you  were 
privileged  to  receive  letters  from  any  one  if  they  were  of  the 
right  stamp  ;  and  also  that  you  would  be  glad  to  receive  books. 

"  It  even  delighted  me  to  know  that  these  privileges  were 
not  withheld  by  those  who  have  you  in  their  power ;  and  I 
trust  that  they  may  preserve  you  from  despondency  and  grief. 
Indeed  I  know  that  although  stone  walls  surround  you,  ex 
cluding  from  your  gaze  the  green  beauty  of  earth,  and  from 
your  cheek  the  balm  of  heaven's  free  air,  yet  the  '  eternal 
spirit  of  the  chainless  mind'  within  you,  is  more  untrammelled 
than  is  that  of  many  a  one  who  suffers  no  immurement.  I 
never  ponder  on  your  situation,  but  I  think  of  Byron's  Priso 
ner  at  Chillon  ;  and  the  horror  and  helplessness  of  his  con 
dition,  makes  even  your  lot,  in  comparison,  a  happy  one. 
*  In  the  lowest  deep,  there  is  a  deep  still  more  profound;' 
and  I  think  there  is  no  more  effectual  way  of  solacing  ourselves 
than  to  advert  to  those  who  are  able  to  bear  privations  more 
cruel  than  our  own. 

"  As  I  am  not  permitted  to  write  to  you  on  those  subjects 
which  would  probably  interest  you  most,  I  trust  you  will  ex 
cuse  the  want  of  spirit  in  my  letter.  How  it  cramps  a  free 
spirit  to  be  circumscribed  and  restricted  in  its  desire  to  roam 
whithersoever  it  will,  and  to  gather  and  fling  to  a  kindred  be 
ing  such  flowers  and  pebbles  as  it  listeth. 

"  My  young  friend,  Caroline  French,  having  determined  to 
visit  Baltimore  and  to  call  upon  you,  notifies  me  of  her  wil- 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  259 

lingness  to  be  the  bearer  of  anything  which  I  may  desire  to 
send  you  ;  and  by  her  kindness  I  am  enabled  to  forward  a 
few  books,  not  knowing  whether  they  are  suitable  or  not. 

"  If  it  suits  your  convenience  and  hers,  I  should  be  glad  to 
receive  a  letter  from  you  when  she  returns  ;  but  if  not,  write 
immediately  by  mail.  Tell  me  what  character  of  books  you 
would  like  to  have  ;  give  me  your  reflections,  your  hopes, 
your  griefs,  and  all  the  particulars  of  your  treatment  and  situa 
tion. 

"  If  anything  but  my  young  friend's  face  were  needed  to 
recommend  her,  I  would  give  you  most  heart-felt  testimo 
nials  in  her  favor.  If  genuine  goodness  and  perfect  loveli 
ness  are  desirable,  then  you  will  be  pleased  with  her.  May 
her  visit  be  like  that  of  a  stray  sunbeam  from  paradise.  Her 
uncle,  John  Atkinson,  accompanies  her. 

"  Accept  my  warmest  desires  for  your  peace,  comfort,  and 
welfare  ;  and  believe  me  your  unchanging  friend, 

E.  H.  COGGINS. 

"  Write  without  delay." 

"  Philadelphia,  8mo.  24, 1845. 

"  My  friend  Torrey, — Until  to-day,  I  have  hardly  thought 
of  a  resolve  I  made  when  visiting  thee  a  few  weeks  ago.  In 
deed,  I  don't  know  but  my  promise  was  given  to  write  soon ; 
and  now  the  impelling  motive  is  given  by  hearing  an  inquiry 
made  on  behalf  of  thy  aged  friend  Esther  Moore,  whether 
she  would  be  allowed  to  correspond  with  thee. 

"  The  reply  sent  her  was,  that  she  might  write  what  she 
was  willing  should  be  examined  by  the  inspectors  of  the  peni 
tentiary.  From  her  taking  the  trouble  to  send  from  her  home 
(at  present  in  Salem,  N.  J.)  to  Philadelphia  for  information, 
1  take  it  that  she  will  not  be  long  in  sending  thee  a  line. 

"  To  some  of  thy  friends  I  mentioned  the  scarcity  of  books 
at  your  house.  Have  any  sent  a  supply  ?  Ere  this  I  should 
have  done  it,  but  I  have  been  absent  from  home  considerably, 


260  MEMOIR  OP  TORREY. 

and  when  at  home,  business  has  required  ray  strict  attention. 
If  I  send  any,  and  there  be  such  among  them  as  will  not  pass 
as  books  proper  to  be  read,  (for  I  can  scarce  tell  what  would 
be  admitted,)  such  directions  will  accompany  them  as  will 
prevent  their  being  lost. 

"  Yesterday  and  the  day  previous,  the  rain  came  down  as  if 
for  a  second  deluge.  Our  city  has  not,  for  months,  passed 
through  such  a  cleansing  baptism. 

"  The  streams  have  been  low,  and  the  season  more  bereft 
of  rain  than  usual;  yet  wheat  and  other  crops  are  excellent, 
making  a  most  generous  return  for  the  husbandman's  labor. 

"  Fruits,  particularly  melons,  cantelopes,  peaches,  etc., 
such  as  our  Jersey  neighbors  are  famous  for  raising,  come  to  us 
in  abundance,  and  at  a  price  within  reach  of  all. 

"  With  such  a  variety  and  excellence  of  the  fruits  of  the 
earth,  no  self-denial  is  required  in  the  practice  of  Graham's 
theory,  a  plan  I've  been  trying  for  a  few  months  past.  It 
works  admirably ;  can  perform  as  much  labor  as  the  canni 
bals  ;  sjeep  sweet  o'nights ;  and  in  every  respect  feel  as  well 
as  when  patronising  the  flesh  pots. 

"  The  day  is  far  spent,  and  as  I  have  another  letter  to  write, 
must  close  soon.  Much  that  I  would  like  to  write,  may  be 
precluded  by  the  regulations  of  the  house ;  and  lest  I  might 
say  something  inconsistent  with  the  rules,  and  thus  condemn 
the  whole  letter,  my  cautiousness  has  been  so  exercised, 
that  the  letter  must  seem  irksome.  At  some  day,  not  very 
distant,  I  may  again  write.  One  of  my  friends  in  Baltimore 
expressed  a  desire  to  see  thee,  and  he  may  be  the  bearer  of 
some  books  and  a  letter  from  me  ;  Jacob  Fassel  is  his  name, 
one  of  the  Dr.'s  nephews ;  perhaps  he  has  called  on  thee 
ere  this.  Farewell. 

From  thy  sympathizing  brother, 

G.  DILLWYN  JONES. 

"  I  think  I  was  informed  your  rules  do  not  permit  thy  writ 
ing  to  friends  promiscuously ;  but  if  thee  can  communicate  with 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORREY  IN  PRISON.  261 

those  who  are  in  the  world,  should  be  glad  to  receive  a  letter 
at  any  time  thy  inclination  might  dictate. 

"If  thee  writes,  address  it  to  62  So.  4th  St.,  Phila." 

"  Philadelphia,  Oct.  14,  1845. 

"  My  dear  brother, — My  heart  is  grieved  to  hear  of  your 
indisposition  and  depression  of  spirits.  O  that  I  may  now  be 
directed  by  the  divine  Spirit  to  write  something  for  your  con 
solation.  May  God  himself  comfort  your  stricken  heart. 
Now,  beloved,  you  are  called  hy  your  heavenly  Father  to 
endure  hardness,  as  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  know 
of  no  exhortation  more  appropriate  to  your  present  lamented 
case,  than  the  blessed  one,  '  Looking  unto  Jesus.'  O  con 
sider  the  contradiction  of  sinners  which  he  endured  against 
himself,  lest  you  be  wearied  and  faint  in  your  mind.  Was 
there  any  sorrow  like  unto  his  sorrow,  which  his  agonized  soul 
suffered  so  willingly  for  us  ?  He  was  wounded  for  our  trans 
gressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities,  the  chastisement 
of  our  peace  was  upon  him,  and  with  his  stripes  we  are  healed. 
O  what  agony  he  endured  in  the  garden,  when,  in  that  most 
affecting  hour  of  temptation,  he  sweat,  as  it  were,  great  drops 
of  blood.  O  did  the  holy  Son  of  God  take  this  bitter  cup 
which  his  Father  gave  him,  and  shall  we,  sinful  creatures, 
refuse  the  chastisements  our  Father's  wisdom  and  love  ap 
point  as  means  necessary  to  make  us  meet  to  partake  of  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light  ? 

"  But  we  are  to  look  unto  Jesus,  not  only  as  an  exemplar  of 
patient  suffering,  of  unparalleled  affliction,  but  as  our  sympa 
thizing  high-priest,  who  is  touched  with  a  feeling  of  our  in 
firmities.  Whoever  may  forget  you  in  your  grievous  incarce 
ration,  he  does  not.  He  sits  by  you  as  a  refiner.  He  will 
regulate  the  degree,  the  circumstances  of  every  trial  which  his 
children  endure,  that  his  own  design  of  infinite  love  towards 
them  may  be  consummated.  He  gives  us  the  sweet  privilege 
of  coming  to  him  by  faith,  of  reposing  on  his  own  bosom  of 


262  MEMOIR  OF  TORREr. 

love,  and  casting  all  our  care  and  sorrow  there.  O  my  brother, 
avail  yourself  of  this  high  and  blessed  privilege,  and  say, 
'  though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  him.'  O  hear  his  voice 
of  consoling  love :  '  My  peace  I  give  unto  you  ;  not  as  the 
world  giveth,  give  I  unto  you  :  let  not  your  heart  be  troubled, 
neither  let  it  be  afraid.'  Read  the  mighty  achievements  of 
the  faithful,  recorded  in  Heb.  xi.  chap.,  who  '  had  trials  of  cruel 
mockings  and  scourgings  ;  yea,  moreover,  of  bonds  and  im 
prisonments  ;  they  \vere  stoned,  they  were  sawn  asunder, 
were  tempted,  were  slain  with  the  sword ;  they  wandered 
about  in  sheep  skins  and  goat  skins  ;  being  destitute,  afflicted, 
tormented.'  Think  it  not  strange,  beloved,  as  though  some 
strange  thing  had  happened  unto  you.  It  is  through  much 
tribulation  that  the  chosen  of  the  Lord  must  enter  the  king 
dom.  If  the  present  peculiar  affliction  tends  to  humble  you 
before  God  ;  to  wean  your  heart  from  every  other  object,  and 
fix  it  upon  Him  who  alone  is  worthy  of  our  supreme  affection  ; 
if  it  leads  you  to  strict  and  impartial  examination  of  your  heart 
and  state  of  mind  in  respect  to  your  relation  to  God  and  your 
hope  for  eternity ;  if  it  is,  by  divine  grace,  the  means  of  as 
similating  you  to  Jesus  Christ ;  it  shall  work  out  for  you  a 
far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory  ;  and  you  will 
praise  God  that  you  have  been  shut  out  from  the  world,  in 
the  prison  of  Maryland. 

"  *  Looking  unto  Jesus,'  implies  looking  for  his  personal 
coming  and  reign,  and  a  blessed  participation  in  his  kingdom. 
'  Unto  them  that  look  for  him,  will  he  appear  the  second  time,' 
etc.  O  how  soon  shall  your  present  scene  of  darkness  pass 
away  !  A  little  while  and  he  that  will  come  shall  come,  and 
will  not  tarry.  '  The  Lord  my  God  shall  come,  and  all  the 
saints  with  him.'  Believe,  brother,  and  now  in  patience  pos 
sess  your  soul,  honoring  God,  and  he  will  honor  you.  You 
may  pass  from  the  prison  to  the  palace  of  the  New  Jerusalem, 
which  cometh  down  from  God  out  of  heaven  unto  earth,  when 
the  tabernacle  of  God  shall  be  with  men,  and  the  Lord  God 


LETTERS  TO  MR.  TORRET  IN  PRISON.  263 

shall  dwell  among  us,  *  the  Lamb  shall  lead  us  to  fountains  of 
living  water,  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  our  eyes/ 
*  When  Christ  who  is  our  life  shall  appear,  then  shall  we  also 
appear  with  him  in  glory.' 

"  And  now,  my  dear  suffering  brother,  lift  up  the  eye  of 
faith  and  anticipate  this  glory.  *  Behold  he  cometh,'  etc.  I 
commend  you  to  God  and  the  word  of  his  grace.  O  that  the 
precious  promise  of  eternal  love  may  sustain  and  comfort  your 
stricken  heart.  O  that  the  eye  of  faith  may  penetrate  the 
dark  clouds  which  now  darken  your  horizon.  Remember,  the 
bright  throne  beyond,  changes  not.  It  will  be  one  part  of 
heaven's  blessedness  to  trace  the  wisdom  and  love  of  our  Fa 
ther,  in  the  dark  way  through  which  he  has  led  us.  What 
thou  knowest  not  now,  thou  shall  know  hereafter.  Look, 
then,  unto  Jesus,  casting  all  your  care  and  sorrow  upon  him, 
for  he  careth  for  you. 

Your  affectionate  brother  and  sympathizing  friend, 

HENRY  GREW." 

11  Harwich,  Dec.  19,  1845. 

"  Dear  Friend  Torrey, — A  correspondent  of  the  Boston 
Traveller,  whose  communication  was  copied  into  the  Libera 
tor,  describing  thy  condition,  suggested  a  desire  to  write  to 
thee.  My  dearly  beloved  friend  Torrey,  there  is  a  secret  in 
Christianity  that  will  save  thee  from  all  trouble,  let  thy  con 
dition  be  what  it  may.  When  I  saw  thee  on  the  Cape,  with 
Luther  Lee  and  Cummings,  and  at  Boston,  at  the  conventions, 
I  had  no  doubt  that  you  was  destitute  of  the  religion  of  the 
New  Covenant :  which  is  this — '  I  will  put  my  laws  in  their 
minds,  and  write  them  in  their  hearts;  I  will  be  to  them  a 
God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a  people/  Now,  dear  brother, 
what  can  you  ask  for  more  than  this  ?  Is  not  God  all-suf 
ficient  ?  Again — '  If  you  abide  in  me,  and  my  words  abide 
in  you,  ye  shall  ask  whatsoever  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done  un 
to  you/  Is  not  this  legacy  enough  ?  Again — '  Now  we  know 


264  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

that  all  things  work  together  for  good,  to  them  that  love  God, 
to  them  that  are  the  called  according  to  his  purpose.'  Once 
more — '  Whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  world, 
or  life,  or  death,  or  things  to  come,  or  things  present,  all  are 
yours,  and  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's.  Now  I  so 
berly  ask,  do  not  these  declarations  and  promises  bequeath 
to  us  all  that  we  can  justly  desire  ?  Is  there  anything  left 
out  ?  Now  the  great  secret  is  this  ;  the  condition  on  our  part 
is  this  :  we  must  render  to  God  the  things  that  are  God's ; 
and  if  we  do,  I  ask  if  there  is  anything  left?  Our  trouble 
is,  we  call  God's  things  ours.  God  justly  and  righteous 
ly  claims  all  to  be  His  ;  and  he  justly  claims  a  right  to 
govern  his  own.  If  we  really  give  anything  to  God,  our 
anxiety  about  that  thing  will  be  gone  ;  the  devil  himself, 
cannot  trouble  us  about  that  thing ;  let  it  be  thy  wife,  thy 
children.  When  this  is  done,  you  behold  a  God,  all-sufficient 
for  them,  able  and  willing  to  do  infinitely  more  than  poor  man 
can  possibly  do.  And  if  you  could  only  present  thy  body  a 
living  sacrifice  to  God,  you  would  have  no  more  trouble  about 
thy  body.  To  be  short,  when  there  is  an  entire  consecration 
of  all  to  God,  then  we  have  an  undoubted  right  to  all  the 
promises  of  God ;  then  we  are  the  sons  of  God,  the  called 
according  to  his  purpose,  the  elect  of  God,  the  beloved  of 
God,  the  chosen  of  God,  heirs  of  God  and  joint-heirs  with 
Christ  Jesus :  and  can  we  rationally  conclude  that  he  will 
withhold  any  good  thing  from  such  a  character  ?  Now  the 
way  to  come  into  this  state,  is  to  cease  to  look  at  the  things 
that  are  seen,  or  desire  them — but  look  at  the  things  that  are 
not  seen ;  die,  be  crucified  to  all  sensible  objects,  then  thy 
happiness  will  be  hid  with  Christ  in  God  ;  then  thou  canst 
rejoice  evermore ;  pray  without  ceasing,  and  in  every  thing 
give  thanks.  May  this  be  thy  happy  lot — so  prays 
Thy  affectionate  brother, 

ELKANAH  NICKERSON." 


LAST  LETTERS  TO  AND  FROM  MR.  TORREY.     265 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

LAST  LETTERS  TO  AND  FROM  MR.  TORREY. 

WE  have  but  few  more  letters  to  present  the  reader  from 
the  pen  of  Mr.  Torrey ;  these  were  evidently  written  with  a 
feeble  and  trembling  hand.  In  the  summer  of  1845,  his  health 
began  very  decidedly  to  be  affected  by  his  imprisonment.  This 
induced  his  friends  to  make  a  vigorous  effort  to  obtain  his  par 
don  and  release  from  prison.  His  waning  health,  the  gene 
rous  exertions  of  Messrs.  Phelps  and  Cleaveland,  in  his  be 
half,  the  cheering  light  that  shone  around  him  in  his  last  hours, 
are  all  distinctly  exhibited  in  the  following  letters,  and  the 
account  of  the  efforts  for  his  release  by  Rev.  Mr.  Phelps. 

The  first  letter  is  without  date,  and  it  is  not  known  pre 
cisely  when  it  was  written. 

"  My  dearest  wife, — It  is  now  nearly  or  quite  midnight, 
and  my  poor  rheumatic  body  aches  so  severely  that  I  cannot 
write,  either  in  prose  or  rhyme,  such  a  note  as  I  fancied  I 
could  write,  to  give  with  the  only  lock  of  hair  I  ever  gave  you., 
,that  I  remember.  It  looks  so  like  taking  a  memorial  of  a  de 
parted  friend,  or  of  one  we  never  expect  to  see  again.  The 
mother  « of  all  the  faithful'  was  adorned  with  bracelets,  though 
the  Scripture  does  not  say  whether  or  not  a  love-lock  of  her 
husband's  hair  was  entwined  among  the  gold-work.  Doubtless 
a  lover,  of  Isaac's  good  taste,  would  not  have  neglected  such 
a  point,  especially  as  he  had  to  do  his  courting  by  proxy !  — 
Well,  my  dear  Mary,  to-day  may  open  the  way  for  our  union 
again  ;  or  it  may  separate  us  for  many,  many  years.  If  the 
latter,  I  trust  we  shall  not  need  memorials,  so  frail  as  a  lock 
of  hair,  to  recall  each  to  the  other.  Yet  the  hair  is  the  most 
enduring  portion  of  our  bodily  system.  Long  after  the  flesh 
and  bones  become  small,  impalpable  dust,  the  hair,  the  '  glorj 
23 


266  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

of  the  head,'  retains  its  color  and  strength.  Nay,  it  even  grows, 
while  the  rest  of  the  body  is  decaying;  thus  seeming  to  pos 
sess  an  almost  independent  vitality  of  its  own.  So  may  it  be 
with  our  affection,  when  'flesh  shall  fail'  us,  and  our  bodies 
decay,  and  every  memorial  of  them  perish.  So  may  it  be 
with  us  when  *  heart,'  too,  shall  fail  us,  and  all  our  earthly  re 
lations  cease.  May  God,  then,  be  the  strength  of  our  heart, 
and  our  portion  forever.  If,  in  another  world,  those  undying 
elements  of  our  spiritual  nature  are  controlled,  as  I  doubt  not 
they  are,  by  the  same  principles  that  regulate  all  holy  inter 
course  here,  while  we  may  have  no  locks  of  hair,  for  a  brace 
let,  we  shall  not  want  many  a  sweet  remembrance,  in  every 
word  and  deed  of  kindness,  every  mutual  prayer,  every  act  of 
service  to  our  Lord,  in  which  we  engaged  together;  and, 
above  all,  in  the  children  He  has  given  us  to  train  up  for 
Him.  Whether  He  frees  me,  or  not,  to  help  you,  may  He 
bless  you  richly ;  and  may  you  be  a  bracelet  on  His  hands, 
in  the  day  He  shall  appear  '  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints.' 
Your  affectionate  husband, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

"  Baltimore  Penitentiary,  Sept.  28,  1845. 
"  My  Dearest  Wife, — Do  not  for  a  moment  think*  that  I 
have  either  wilfully  or  willingly  neglected  you.  Your  four 
kind  letters,  dated  in  June,  July,  August  and  Sept.  13th,  all 
came  safe,  though  not  always  very  promptly,  to  hand. 
My  last  letter  to  you,  dated  May  1st,  was  written  at  intervals 
of  pain  and  weakness,  in  the  hospital,  on  a  sick  bed.  From 
that  day  to  this,  I  have  not  been,  for  two  days  at  a  time,  free 
from  excruciating  pain  in  the  head,  with  occasional  severe 
pains  in  the  heart,  accompanied  by  general  weakness  in  the 
system.  You  will  not  think  it  very  strange  therefore,  that  I 
have  not  been  able  to  write  a  connected  letter  for  many  weeks 
past,  at  least,  for  five  or  six.  Other  causes,  before  that,  de 
layed  my  doing  so.  My  mental  energy,  and  sanity,  have 


LAST  LETTERS  TO  AND  FROM  MR.  TORREY.       267 

been  much  affected  by  such  long  continued  pain  in  the  brain  ; 
so  that  very  often,  for  three  months  past,  I  have  been  obliged 
to  struggle  to  repress  the  impulse  to  utter  insane  ravings,  and 
even  wicked  follies  which  my  whole  soul  abhors.      Most  of 
the  time  I  have  very  little  control  over  my  thoughts.      If  a 
painful  idea  takes  possession  of  the   mind,  it  is  as  if  a  rough 
iron  was  drawn  over  the  brain,  for  whole  hours,  and  even 
days  at  a  time.      These  forms   of  mental  suffering  depend 
wholly  on  the  degree  of  bodily  pain  I  endure.       When  my 
brain  is  easy  enough  to  let    me  think  at  all,  I  am  cheerful, 
happy,  find  delight  in  drawing  near  to  God,  and  in  all  holy 
things.     Nay,  then  pleasantry  is  agreeable  to  me.     At  other 
times,  no  jest  would  make  me  smile.     When  I  received  two 
of   your  letters,  with  several  from  kind  friends  in  Philadel 
phia,  I  read  them  with  entire  want  of  feeling,  merely  from 
pain.     Afterwards,  taking  advantage  of  an  interval  of  less 
suffering,  I  re-read  them  with  much  delight,  and  wept  over 
and  thanked  our  Savior  for  every  expression  and  mark  of 
love  they  contained.        So  in  reading  books,  anything  that 
asks  for  much  thinking,  generally  confuses  my  mind,  and  cau 
ses  intense  pain.     For  several  weeks  I  could  pray  but  little, 
and  read  the  Bible  less,  on  that  account.     Do  you  ask,  why 
such  suffering  ?     The  answer  is,  the  little  labor  required  of 
me,  acting  on  a  shattered  system,  is  the  chief  cause.  Through 
the  kindness  of  God  to  us,  I  have  not,  as  you  know,  had  very 
many  of  the  usual  sources  of  a  prisoner's  suffering.   To  know 
that  you  and  our  children  were  protected  and  cared  for  by 
friends,  able  and  pledged  to  provide  for  every  want  you  would 
make  known  to  them ;  to  know  that  no  dishonor  attached  to 
my  name,  in   the  minds  of  the  great  and  good,  in  this  and 
other  countries,  but  that  I  was  honored  the  more  in  conse 
quence  of  the  wrath  of  our  foes  ;  and  to  have  peace  with  God, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.      Surely,  these  were  things  to 
fill  our  hearts  with  humble  gratitude  to  God,  in  all  our  trials. 
Like  all  prisoners,  1  suffer  many  deprivations,  and  have  un- 


268  MEMOIR  OF    TORREY. 

happy  hours  on  account  of  them.  I  should  be  more  or  less 
than  human,  if  it  were  otherwise.  But  aside  from  the  ef 
fects  of  bodily  pain  and  weakness,  I  can  truly  say,  '  my  pris 
on  hours  have  been  happy.'  But  from  these  I  cannot  escape ; 
they  are  rapidly  hastening  me  into  the  gulf  of  insanity.  Of 
this,  I  have  a  horror  I  cannot  describe.  Death  has  no  terror ; 
he  is  Christ's  blessed  Messenger  of  peace  and  love ;  how 
eagerly  I  should  welcome  him  to-day  !  '  0,  come,  Lord  Je 
sus,  come  quickly.'  It  is  lfar  better'  to  depart  and  be  with 
Him.  Last  Sabbath  I  tried  to  write,  but  my  efforts  produced 
bad  English  and  nonsense.  To-day,  a  state  of  nervous  ex 
citement  only  short  of  absolute  insanity,  enables  me  to  write 
easier,  so  far,  though,  for  the  week  past,  my  mind  has  been 
generally  more  crazed  and  unsettled  than  before.  I  know  at 
times,  I  exhibit  a  pitiable  degree  of  weakness  and  imbecility 
to  those  around  me.  And  when  I  feel  better,  it  troubles  me 
to  think  that  the  cause  of  Christ  will  be  dishonored  in  the 
eyes  of  the  unreflecting  and  stupid  about  me.  But  my  only 
comfort  is,  that  God  leads  us  by  the  hand  in  the  midst  of  all 
our  foes  ;  and  though  they  rage  and  blaspheme  on  account  of 
weaknesses,  the  Lord  will  order  all  things  well.  Sometimes, 
my  feelings,  I  fear,  when  weighed  down  with  pain,  are  not 
submissive  to  God ;  it  is  hard  to  see  If  is  hand  in  the  suffer 
ings  we  endure  at  the  hands  of  wicked  men.  It  is  only 
reflection,  in  health,  that  can  make  us  feel  that  the  wicked 
are  only  *  the  rod  of  His  indignation,'  and  the  staff  in  His 
hand.  I  am  deeply  afflicted  to  be  obliged  to  give  you  so  sad 
an  account  of  my  mental  and  physical  state ;  especially  so, 
because  you  write  that  you  have  been,  and  still  are,  far  from 
well.  But  I  must  tell  you  the  truth,  as  far  as  I  am  allowed 
to  do  so  ;  and  perhaps,  to  the  few  private  friends  who  will  see 
this  letter,  it  will  be  some  additional  stimulus  to  action  in  my 
behalf.  If  dear  brother  Phelps  comes  on,  next  week,  I  can 
tell  him  more  freely  than  I  can  write,  what  it  is  to  '  be  sick 
and  in  prison.'  I  never  understood  the  force  of  that  awful 


LAST  LETTERS  TO  AND  PROM  MR.  TORREY.  269 

•climax  of  our  Saviour's  sentence  in  the  day  of  judgment, 
till  I  was  myself  in  prison.  Now,  I  see,  that  no  combination 
of  possible  evils  could  bring  greater  sufferings  on  human  be 
ings  ;  though  no  doubt,  prisons,  in  our  Savior's  time,  were 
\vorse  than  they  are  now., 

"  I  will  try  to  add  various  things  by  way  of  remark  on 
your  letters.  I  thank  you  again,  for  every  one  of  them. 
They  have  been  balm  to  me,  in  some  very  dark  hours.  I 
was  very  happy  to  hear  of  your  literary  engagements.  As 
to  the  *  Emporium,'  I  never  have  seen  it.  It  has  been  estab 
lished  since  I  was  imprisoned.  But  I  see,  on  the  cover  of  a 
book,  it  is  classed  with  the  *  New  World'  and  others,  for 
which  our  best  writers  are  paid  contributors.  Do  be  persua 
ded,  by  the  voice  of  your  literary  friends,  as  well  as  by  mine, 
to  know  your  own  strength.  You  know  it  was  no  fool,  but 
a  competent  judge,  that  declared  you  to  be  second  to  no  fe 
male  writer  of  our  country,  in  prose  ;  and,  if  you  would  fling 
your  fears  to  the  winds,  your  poetic  powers  would  soon  cause 
as  high  and  as  just  praise.  Dori t  try  so  hard,  and  your  attain 
ment  of  the  highest  celebrity  and  usefulness  will  be  very 
easy.  It  has  been  one  of  the  dearest  hopes  of  my  life,  that 
I  might  place  you  in  a  situation  to  devote  your  time  freely 
to  literary  pursuits.  It  was  a  cherished  hope  connected  with 
my  removal  to  this  city.  Little  did  I  think  my  prison  would  be 
your  only  aid  in  your  career !  But  God  orders  all  things  well. 
Go  on,  and  God  bless  you,  and  guide  your  pen  and  mind  by 
his  Holy  Spirit.  Attempt  all  the  forms  of  easy  graceful  writing, 
such  as  are  common  in  our  literary  papers.  You  will  soon  learn 
what  you  can  most  certainly  and  rapidly  succeed  in. 

"  Our  dear  children  are  daily  in  my  heart,  and  on  my  lips, 
before  God,  the  Father  of  the  fatherless,  and  the  Judge  of 
the  oppressed.  Tell  them,  that  when  father  is  too  weak  to 
utter  the  whole  of  the  Lord's  Prayer,  (as  it  lias  often  been 
the  case,)  he  never  forgets  to  pray  for  them,  '  Lord,  bless 
them,  and  make  them  holy.'  Don't  reprove  or  ridicule 
23* 


270  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

Charles  for  '  absent  mindedness.'  It  is  no  fault,  though  an 
evil,  that  reasoning  minds  are  apt  to  fall  into.  Teaching 
him  to  be  polite  in  attentions  to  those  around  him,  talking 
•with  him,  and  above  all,  encouraging  habits  of  observation, 
are  thorough  remedies.  Get  '  Mundie's  Guide  to  the  Ob 
servation  of  External  Nature,'  the  '  Natural  History  of  In 
fects,'  and  '  White's  History  of  Shelbourne,'  all  cheap  books, 
and  they  will  furnish  you  and  the  children  a  fund  of  amuse 
ment  and  instruction,  this  winter  ;  and  when  spring  enables 
you  to  go  into  the  fields  again,  will  add  very  much  to  your 
stores  of  easily  gained  knowledge ;  especially  if  you  can 
gain  self-possession  enough  to  examine  all  sorts  of  bugs, 
toads,  spiders,  etc. :  God's  most  beautiful  and  harmless  crea 
tures,  viewed  through  a  magnifying  glass  that  costs  fifty 
cents.  Childhood  is  the  time  to  teach  and  enjoy  all  the 
branches  of  Natural  History.  Let  Grammar  go,  to  be  learn 
ed  by  reading  and  talking,  and  studied  at  maturer  years.  So 
with  similar  studies,  common  in  our  schools. 

"  As  to  '  Home,'  I  believe  I  had  special  divine  help  in  writ 
ing  it.  But  I  have  given  it  wholly  up  to  Him.  If  God 
chooses  to  make  it  a  blessing  to  others,  and  a  benefit  to  you, 
I  shall  praise  his  holy  name.  As  to  the  compilation  of  my  let 
ters,  I  am  only  astonished  at  the  long  delay  to  follow  the  com 
mon  sense  advice  of  D.  and  L.  and  A.,  not  to  mention  the 
literary  gentleman  of  this  city,  who  first  suggested  and  urged 
their  publication,  as  a  means  of  personal  benefit  to  me,  here, 
and  as  a  heavy  blow  at  the  corrupt  Police  system  in  this  and 
other  cities.  However,  I  cannot  direct,  nor  is  my  judgment 
now  worth  a  straw,  on  any  point  where  I  had  not  made  up 
my  mind  in  health  and  vigor.  As  to  its  hindering  my  release, 
it  is  all  folly.  The  cash  and  the  petitions  together  will  secure 
that,  if  I  was  ' born  and  bred  a  demon'  I  am  very  grateful 
for  all  the  kind  remembrances  from  your  family  and  my  dear 
friends  that  your  several  letters  contain.  Assure  them,  indi 
vidually,  of  my  love  and  grateful  regard,  especially  your  fa- 


LAST  LETTERS  TO  AND  FROM  MR.  TORREY.     271 

ther.  I  am  much  afraid  that  his  toils  and  expenditures  will 
prove  in  vain,  for  lack  of  the  cash.  However,  if  brother  P. 
has  determined  to  raise  it,  it  will  be  done  in  time.  Much  as 
I  feel  averse  to  that  part  of  Mr.  C.'s  plans,  I  found,  when  he 
stated  the  probable  failure  of  it,  that  my  hopes  had  rested  on 
it  more  than  I  was  conscious  of.  If  these,  or  any  other  means, 
release  me  before  winter,  I  may  save  reason  and  life.  If  not, 
I  am  utterly  hopeless  of  doing  either.  And  I  write  now,  feel 
ing  that,  unless  in  freedom,  this  is,  in  all  likelihood,  the  last 
time  I  shall  ever  write  to  you.  I  am  far  more  broken  down, 
in  mind  and  body,  than  those  around  me  are  aware  of.  For 
myself,  I  care  little  for  it.  When,  this  morning  (Tuesday, 
30th),  I  learned  the  death  of  a  fellow-prisoner,  who,  a  week 
ago,  was  well,  I  could  not  help  praying  God  for  leave  to  fol 
low  him  soon.  Yet  I  wish  to  be  quiet  as  a  little  child,  in  His 
hands,  and  'bide  His  time,  whether  for  freedom  on  earth,  or 
to  join  those  who  are  '  free  among  the  dead.'  It  has  always 
been  my  conviction  that  I  should  never  see  you  again,  and 
that  I  should  die  here.  It  has  never  caused  me  regret,  any 
farther  than  it  might  be  a  source  of  suffering  to  you  and  a 
few  persons  to  whom  I  would  fain  owe  nothing  but  love 
and  good  will.  I  know,  whatever  becomes  of  me,  the  Lord 
will  provide  for  you  and  for  our  children,  far  better  than  I 
could,  were  the  world's  resources  at  my  word.  Our  children 
were  solemnly  devoted  to  that  Savior  who  gave  them.  They 
are  HIS  OWN.  Much  as  I  love  them,  I  have  never  felt, 
especially  in  regard  to  Charles,  that  he  was  MINE.  He  is 
solemnly  devoted  to  Christ,  if  our  Lord  will  accept  the  offer 
ing.  You  speak  of  the  joy  and  the  power  of  prayer.  I  have  had 
numerous  occasions,  since  my  imprisonment,  to  thank  God 
for  almost  visible  answers  to  my  cry.  Much  as  my  foes  have 
exulted,  and  hated,  and  threatened,  they  have  been  re 
strained  from  many  things  by  which  they  intended  to  injure 
me ;  and  several  times  in  such  a  way  that  nothing  but  the  di 
rect  agency  of  God,  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  men,  could 


272  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

account  for.  And,  in  not  a  few  cases,  the  '  violent  dealing' 
of  the  wicked  has  already  been  visited  on  their  heads. 
You  may  have  heard  that  poor  Hatch  has  gone  to  Sing  Sing 
for  ten  years.  The  discovery  and  punishment  of  his  crimes, 
was  the  direct  result  of  the  indignation  his  perjuries  against 
me  excited  in  the  bosom  of  a  man  of  poor  repute,  who  was  an 
utter  stranger  to  me !  Slill,  our  God  is  a  GREAT  God.  His 
ways  are  in  the  deep.  The  wicked  are  not  generally  pun 
ished,  here,  nor  the  pious  freed  from  suffering.  '  Shall  we  re 
ceive  good  at  His  hands,  and  not  evil?'  I  have  no  fear 
for  the  cause  of  Christ  in  West  Medvvay  nor  anywhere  else. 
God  may  want  deacon  W.  in  a  higher  sphere  of  duty  and  joy. 
So  of  others.  But  he  will  find  servants  enough  to  do  all  His 
will.  How  often  have  I  seen  the  bitterest  of  His  foes  melted 
by  the  simplest  means  !  I  shall  not  forget,  soon,  the  effect  of  the 
first  and  (as  a  composition  perhaps)  the  poorest  sermon  I  ever 
wrote.  The  Memoir  of  Miss  Lawrence,  by  Rev.  M.  Moore,  ex 
hibits  it,  mparton\y.  So  our  '  weakness  is  made  strong  ;'  and 
our  strength,  weakness.  My  best  regard  and  sympathy  for  Dr. 
B.  and  his  family.  Tell  him  to  try  the  power  of  mercy  and  love 
upon  the  guilty  man  who  has  injured  him.  Punishment  har 
dens  the  heart.  If  I  did  not  constantly  struggle  and  pray  against 
the  daily  influences  of  the  '  reformed'  system,  on  the  mind  and 
heart,  two  years  of  imprisonment  would  make  me  a  villain,  as  it 
does  most  of  those  whose  intellects  are  not  stupified  by  it.  God 
bless  and  keep  and  comfort  you  and  our  dear  little  ones,  and 
all  who  are  dear  to  us.  I  should  be  glad  to  write  to  my  dear 
and  now  aged  grandmother,  and  aunt  Fanny ;  the  mothers 
who  watched  over  my  infancy  and  youth  ;  but  I  cannot.  You 
must  show  them  my  letters  to  you.  So  of  my  other  near 
friends.  Since  I  wrote,  Wm.  Jackson,  Mr.  Lincoln  of  llal- 
lowell,  G.  W.  F.  Mellen  of  Boston,  and  several  other  friends, 
some  of  whom  you  do  not  personally  know,  have  called  to  see 
me ;  brother  Barlow,  among  others.  And  I  have  letters  from 
G.  W.  Jonson,  the  Earles,  and  others,  which  I  should  an- 


LAST  LETTERS  TO  AND  FROM  MR.  TORREY.     273 

swer  eagerly,  if  I  was  not  in  prison.  I  have  not  ceased  to  love 
them,  and  all  who  have  shown  both  kindness  to  us,  and  char 
acters  worthy  of  our  love.  But  I  cannot  reply  to  them.  I 
should  be  very  glad  if  you  would  send  me  a  copy,  each,  of 
'  Ornament,'  'Saxton's  Memoir,'  'Harriet  Fisher,'  and  '  the  In 
fidel  Son,'  together  with  my  Greek  Testament,  and  as  many 
other  books  as  my  friends  in  Boston  or  elsewhere  will  favor 
me  with ;  especially  such  as  are  new,  or  less  than  two  years' 
old,  and  therefore  new  to  me.  Many  friends,  I  know,  will  be 
very  happy  to  add  a  few  books  to  your  little  package.  My 
Philadelphia  friends  propose  to  send  me  a  package  from  that 
city.  So  that  the  little  time  and  sense  I  have  to  read  will, 
between  both,  be  fully  cared  for.  I  feel  (when  I  can  think 
at  all)  as  if  I  was  growing  ignorant  by  reading  so  little. 
However,  I  have  read  God's  word  the  more,  and,  I  hope, 
made  some  progress  in  spiritual  knowledge,  in  spite  of  pain 
and  weariness  and  a  prison.  I  know  you  will  pray  much  for 
me.  I  try,  at  YOUR  hour  for  evening  worship,  oftentimes,  to 
think  that  we  and  our  little  ones  are  kneeling  together  at  one 
family  altar,  as  we  were  wont,  and  calling  on  OUR  Father ; 
and  it  is  very  sweet  to  me.  I  feel  deeply  grateful  to  brother 
Phelps,  and  to  all  who  have  shown  kindness  to  you,  either 
for  my  sake  or  your  own,  in  this  day  of  our  trial.  If  I  am 
never  able  to  express  my  gratitude  to  them,  individually,  God 
sees  and  will  abundantly  reward  them  for  it.  There  are  still 
many  topics,  on  which  I  would  gladly  add  something ;  but  I 
am  in  too  much  pain.  Do  not  fear,  so  much,  the  gaze  of  the 
people.  It  is  not  the  impudent  stare  of  rude  curiosity  you 
meet  with  here  ;  but  looks  coming  from  hearts  of  cordial  sym 
pathy  and  respect.  Living  near  to  God,  and  followed  by 
many  prayers,  I  trust  you  will  yet  be  happier  than  you  ever 
was  in  my  society.  I  am  deeply  grateful  to  God  for  the 
prayers  of  our  Salem  and  other  friends.  If  I  am  ever  re 
stored  to  health,  freedom,  and  usefulness,  it  will  be  because 
many  of  God's  people  have  prayed  for  me,  especially  among 


274  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

the  poor,  whom  He  has  made  me  the  means  of  benefiting. 
Nothing  ever  so  affected  my  feelings,  as  the  knowledge  of  their 
prayers,  though  I  have  not  undervalued  the  love  of  the  edu 
cated,  the  refined  and  wealthy  of  our  friends  and  associates. 
Write  freely  on  all  personal  topics.  Whatever  feelings  exist 
towards  me,  nothing  of  that  nature  will  be  abused.  If  Hive, 
and  am  able,  I  shall  write  again,  God  willing,  at  the  regular 
time.  But  if  I  do  not  write,  do  not  ascribe  it  to  a  want  of 
will,  but  to  some  providence  which  is  not  in  my  power  to  con 
trol.  With  much  love  to  our  children  and  to  all  our  families 
and  friends,  I  am  yours,  with  affection, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

"Baltimore  Penitentiary,  Dec.  30,  1845. 
"My  dear  wife, — Your  very  welcome  letter,  dated  Nov. 
24th,  was  handed  to  me  Dec.  14th.  I  have  delayed  replying, 
in  hope  that  I  might  give  as  cheerful  an  answer.  But  lest  the 
long  delay  should  make  you  anxious,  I  obtained  leave  to  send 
a  note,  to-day,  just  to  wish  you  a  '  happy  new  year,'  and  let 
you  know  how  matters  stand.  The  preliminary  arrange 
ments  for  my  release  have  all  been  made  as  successfully  as 
could  be  desired ;  and  I  have  not  been  obliged  to  make  any 
compromise  of  principle,  though  urged  to  sign  what  looked 
very  strongly  like  one.  Mr.  Child  has  been  absent  at  Rich 
mond  and  Annapolis,  to  bring  the  matter  to  a  final  issue.  He 
has  not  yet  returned,  though  1  am  daily  expecting  it.  There 
is  no  very  great  reason  to  doubt  a  favorable  result,  though 
there  has  been  considerable  opposition,  and  some  not  very 
honorable  to  those  who  made  it,  as,  at  a  future  time,  you  will 
learn.  Still,  so  long  as  the  matter  remains  undecided,  I  can 
not  help  feeling  some  anxiety.  We  may  be  disappointed. 
But  God  will  provide  for  us  better  than  we  can  ask.  The 
package  of  books,  including  *  Home'  and  your  letter,  (except 
the  Tract  Soc.  Rep.  and  the  other  pamphlet,)  have  not  been 
received  by  me,  though  they  are  in  the  city,  beyond  doubt. 


LAST  LETTERS  TO  AND  FROM  MR.  TORRET.     275 

I  first  learned  the  publication  of  '  Home'  Dec.  12,  from  father 
Spofford,  with  whom  I  had  a  very  pleasant  interview.  But 
patience  !  these  petty  vexations,  please  God,  will  have  an 
end.  My  health  is  not,  on  the  whole,  improving.  Now  and 
then,  for  a  few  days,  I  gain  a  little  ;  arid  then,  in  half  the  time, 
lose  all  I  gained.  I  have  been  obliged  to  keep  my  bed,  most 
of  the  time,  for  the  past  month.  Should  I  be  released,  I  think 
a  resort  to  a  warm  climate  will  give  me  the  only  fair  chance 
of  restoration  to  health.  However,  God  will  order  it  all  right. 
Death  has  fewer  terrors  for  me  than  life.  I  am  almost  uni 
formly  cheerful,  and  enabled  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  who  is 
become  my  salvation.  If  released,  I  shall  be  compelled  to 
travel  slowly  ;  at  least,  to  rest  a  couple  of  days  each,  in  Phila 
delphia,  New  York,  and  New  Haven,  or  Albany.  But  I 
have  business,  chiefly  legal,  in  each  place,  with  which,  if  not 
freed,  I  should  be  obliged  to  trouble  you  at  an  early  day.  So 
the  delay  will  not  be  useless.  Now  that  there  seems  to  be  a 
rational  prospect  of  release,  I  begin  to  long  to  see  you  and 
dear  little  Charles  and  Mary.  It  would  be  so  sweet  to  sing 
and  pray  together  once  more,  at  our  fireside  !  By  the  way,  I 
have  sung  some  of  my  dear  Clarke's  sweet  songs  in  queer 
places  !  I  remember  singing, 

'  What  mean  ye,  that  ye  bruise  and  bind 
My  people,  saith  the  Lord,'  etc., 

under  the  shade  of  an  oak  forest,  draped  with  the  misletoe, 
far  down  in  the  dark  land.  Has  he  inserted  my  song,  written 
at  Niagara,  as  he  promised?  But  I  am  making  a  letter  in 
stead  of  a  note.  I  cannot  sing  now,  my  voice  is  so  much  gone. 
I  could  not  do  as  I  did  two  years  ago  last  September,  make 
eight  thousand  people  hear  without  an  effort,  or  sensibly  rais 
ing  my  voice.  No  matter.  If  God  has  any  use  for  my  voice, 
he  will  restore  it  again.  My  best  love  to  our  dear  children, 
and  to  all  relatives  and  friends.  I  will  write  you  as  soon  as 
the  result  of  the  petitions  is  made  known  to  me.  And  I  hope. 


276  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

with  God's  favor,  to  be  able  to  write  freely  all  that  is  in  my 
heart  to  say  to  my  dear  and  much  tried  wife.  God  bless  you  ! 
In  bondage  or  in  freedom,  your  affectionate  husband, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 

"  Maryland  Penitentiary,  Feb.  2,  1846. 
"  My  dear  wife, — By  the  kindness  of  the  warden,  I  am  al 
lowed  to  ask  Mr.  Child  to  act  as  my  amanuensis,  being  una 
ble  to  write  myself.  Since  my  September  letter,  the  bilious 
fever,  of  which  I  then  spoke,  with  intervals  of  disease,  have 
reduced  me  to  a  state  of  great  weakness,  without  the  aid  of  the 
nervous  pain  in  my  head.  For  a  few  weeks,  these  diseases 
have  acted  together,  as  if  they  were  one  disease  ;  the  result  is, 
I  am  not  able  to  sit  up,  or  get  up  alone,  from  my  bed.  I  think 
that  my  case,  in  this  respect,  is  beyond  the  reach  of  medical 
skill.  I  am  now  in  the  same  condition  as  in  1826,  when  my 
life  was  rescued,  with  such  difficulty,  by  Dr.  Townsend,  by 
salivation,  only  with  the  disadvantage  of  having  less  strength 
to  endure  medical  treatment.  My  cough,  for  four  months, 
has  expectorated  from  the  lungs,  daily,  considerably  ;  and  for 
the  last  ten  days,  has  greatly  increased.  My  opinion  is,  that 
there  is  no  immediate  danger  from  that  cause,  though  I  think 
it  will  result  in  ultimate  death.  I  speak  to  you  plainly  in  re 
gard  to  these  matters,  my  dear  wife,  because  I  wish  you  to 
feel  that  even  if  God  should,  by  any  means,  open  my  prison 
doors,  it  is  hardly  probable  that  it  will  be  for  the  purpose  of 
giving  to  us  the  enjoyment  of  each  other's  society  for  more 
than  a  few  weeks.  Do  you  ask,  Are  you  happy  ?  The  agi 
tations  respecting  my  release  have  caused  some  disturbance 
of  my  peace  for  some  six  weeks  past,  but  I  feel  submissive  to 
our  Father's  will,  whatever  it  may  be.  With  a  sense  of  the 
evil  of  sin  deeper  than  I  ever  felt  before,  God  has  given  me 
more  of  the  spirit  of  adoption,  and  I  think  more  humility, 
certainly  more  peace.  As  for  my  imprisonment,  neither  you 
nor  I  can  withhold  the  most  grateful  acknowledgments  of 


LAST  LETTERS  TO  AND  FROM  MR.  TORRET.  277 

His  rich  bounty  for  the  year  past.  I  was  thinking  them  over 
the  other  night,  while  all  were  sleeping  about  me,  and  it 
seemed  to  me  that  liberty,  added  to  so  many  tokens  of  the  di 
vine  care  and  love,  as  we  had  received,  would  be  too  much 
to  dare  to  hope  for;  a  cup  running  over  with  blessings.  So 
let  us  rejoice  and  be  glad  in  Him,  whatever  may  be  before  us. 
Those  books  sent  me,  mentioned  in  your  letter  of  the  23d  or 
24th  of  September,  were  not  received.  Please  write  to  Mu. 
Child  any  information  you  may  have  respecting  them.  Did 
we  ever  know  one  half  so  much  of  the  kindness  of  our 
friends  towards  us  as  during  the  last  year?  Even  in  prison, 
I  have  had  many  proofs  of  it.  I  have  received  twenty-nine 
letters,  including  yours  ;  have  had  about  thirty  friends  come 
to  see  me,  bringing  messages  of  love  from  perhaps  two  hun 
dred  and  fifty  persons,  in  many  different  States ;  not  to  speak 
of  acts  of  kindness  from  individuals, — that,  among  the  pris 
oners  has  been  remarkable.  Hard  as  the  lot  of  a  prisoner 
is,  I  do  not  believe,  if  one  is  disposed  to  count  up  the  sum  of 
God's  mercies,  he  will  fail  to  see  the  great  balance  in  favor 
of  happiness.  I  do  not  believe  it  is  ever  otherwise,  out  of 
the  world  of  despair ;  and  taking  into  view  the  vast  dispro 
portion  of  punishment  in  accordance  with  differences  of  char 
acter,  I  doubt  if  it  is  so  with  vast  numbers  even  there.  A 
*  few  stripes'  will  be  laid  on  those  who  have  not  known  the 
Lord's  will.  Hope  thou  in  God,  for  we  shall  yet  praise  him 
in  songs  of  everlasting  joy — though  we  may  not  unite  in  his 
praises  in  this  world  ;  as  indeed  I  do  not  think  we  ever  shall ! 
My  best  regards  to  the  various  members  of  your  father's  fam 
ily,  and  to  my  own  dear  family  circle,  and  to  all  others,  whose 
love  I  do  not  forget,  though  I  cannot  name  them  all,  or  write 
to  any.  May  God's  blessing  rest  upon  you  and  our  litvlt* 
ones.  I  am  your  affectionate  husband, 

CHARLES  T.  TORREY." 


"  Dear  Mrs.  Torrey, — The  above  letter  was  written  in  the 
24 


278  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY* 

Penitentiary,  upon  a  book,  without  the  convenience  of  a  table, 
which  will  explain  in  part  the  writing.  It  is,  verbatim,  the 
letter  of  your  husband,  taken  down  as  dictated  by  him.  He 
is  confined  to  his  bed,  and  is  severely  sick,  but  I  hope  not  so 
dangerously  as  he  supposes,  though  the  physician  says  his 
lungs  are  some  affected.  His  mind  is  calm  and  composed  at 
the  present  time,  though  he  has  suffered  some  in  that  respect. 
I  am  not  without  fears  respecting  him,  but  hope  for  the  best. 
The  warden  and  officers  are  very  kind  to  him,  and  do,  evi 
dently,  all  they  can  for  him.  Mrs.  Child  sympathizes  with 
you,  and  begs  me  to  present  to  you  her  kind  remembrances. 
To-morrow  some  new  efforts  are  to  be  made  in  his  behalf. 
I  am,  sincerely,  yours,  A.  CHILD." 

Feb.  2,  1846. 

This  is  all  we  can  give  from  the  active  hand  and  the 
fruitful  mind  of  the  immortal  Torrey  !  A  few  more  to  him, 
and  some  from  his  friends  in  Baltimore,  we  are  sure  will  be 
quite  acceptable. 

"  West  Medway,  March,  1846. 

"My  Dearest  Husband, — I  have  just  finished  writing 
another  petition  to  the  governor  in  your  behalf,  and  father 
is  sitting  by  me,  doing  the  same.  So  you  see,  if  we  are  dis 
couraged,  we  mean  to  keep  trying  to  help  you.  I  have  been 
sick  about  a  week,  and  if  the  circumstances  of  the  case  had 
teen  otherwise  than  what  they  are,  I  should  not  have 
thought  I  was  able  to  write  anything.  But  trying  is 
every  thing.  I  have  tried,  and  have  accomplished  it, 
but  I  am  now  very  tired,  and  should  go  to  bed,  if  I  did 
not  feel  desirous  to  write  a  few  words  to  you.  Father 
returned  day  before  yesterday,  with  his  feelings  deeply  injur 
ed  at  the  conduct  of  the  governor  and  of  Heckrotte.  He 
said  he  knew  but  of  one  thing  more  that  he  could  do  for  you, 
and  that  was  to  write  another  petition  to  the  governor,  which 


LAST  LETTERS  TO  AND  FROM  MR.  TORREY.     279 

he  is  now  doing.  We  are  all  deeply  afflicted  at  your  trying 
state.  When  I  am  in  such  pain  nights  that  I  cannot  sleep,  I 
think  of  and  pray  for  you.  Do  not  think  I  never  do  it  at  any 
other  time.  Let  one  thought  comfort  and  animate  you.  It 
is  this:  hundreds  and  thousands  remember  you  in  their 
prayers  at  their  fireside  and  their  meetings.  That  is  a  com 
fort  which  every  one  does  not  possess.  In  your  afflictions 
they  are  afflicted.  It  is  sweet  to  think  we  are  remembered, 
but  sweeter  still,  to  know  that  multitudes  are  daily  pleading 
for  us,  with  that  God,  who  has  said,  '  the  effectual  fervent 
prayer  of  the  righteous  man  avaiieth  much.'  Mother  says 
she  means  to  write  to  you  a  letter  of  consolation,  but  I  am 

almost  afraid  she  will  put  so  much in  it,  that  it  will 

hardly  be  allowed.  She  undoubtedly  would  try  to  avoid  it, 
but  she  has  so  much  of  it  in  her  heart,  that  it  would  be  out 
of  the  abundance  of  that,  she  would  write.  Alexis  too,  says 
he  intends  to  write  you.  Charles  and  Mary  express  a 
great  desire  to  see  their  father,  and  I  cannot  but  hope  they 
will  yet  see  you. 

"  Last  week  a  paper  was  sent  to  me  with  a  piece  of  your 
poetry  which  you  wrote  in  1843,  commencing 

1  My  country,  my  country— the  land  of  my  pride !' 

I  cannot  go  any  farther  in  my  quotation,  for  the  sentiment 
contained  in  it  would  be  obnoxious.  You  undoubtedly  re 
collect  it.  At  any  rate,  it  is  full  of  poetry  as  well  as  good 
sense,  and  will  do  you  credit.  Your  '  Home'  is  well  receiv 
ed  every  where.  Ministers  circulate  it  among  their  people, 
because  they  feel  that  it  exerts  an  excellent  influence. 

"  Isabella  sends  much  love  to  you — she  says  I  must  tell 
you  she  feels  much  for  you,  and  wishes  she  could  minister 
to  you. 

"  You  will  hear  again  from  some  of  us  soon.  If  I  had 
not  been  too  sick,  I  should  have  written  to  you  before.  May 


280  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

the  Lord  be  with  you,  comfort,  sustain,  and  bless  you. 
Though  your  prospect  looks  dark,  you  may  yet  see  a 
brighter  day.  Hope  thou  in  God.  I  can  write  no  more 
at  present. 

Your  affectionate  wife, 

MARY  I.  TORREY." 

"  West  Medway,  April  1,  1846. 

"  My  Dear  Son, — Though  she  that  bore  you,  and  called 
you  by  that  endearing  appellation  is  now  slumbering  in  the 
grave,  yet  there  is  one  who  now  lives,  and  who  sustains  the 
relation  of  mother  to  your  wife,  and  through  her  to  you  :  it 
is  she,  who  now  addresses  you,  and  comes  to  your  couch  to 
sympathize  with  you,  and  share' your  sorrows. 

"  When  I  think  of  your  lonely  and  desolate  condition,  my 
heart  yearns  over  you,  and  longs  to  impart  some  comfort 
and  consolation.  But  debarred  as  we  are  from  ministering  to 
your  wants,  I  think  with  pleasure  of  Him  to  whom  no  bolts 
or  bars  are  a  hindrance  to  his  watchful  eye,  and  who  can  be 
stow  those  purer  joys  which  delight  the  soul.  These,  in  all 
your  trials  you  may  share,  if  you  but  lift  your  heart  to  Him 
in  humble  and  fervent  supplication. 

"  Never  have  I  enjoyed  more  true  pleasure  than  when 
commending  you  to  our  covenant  God,  and  committing  to 
Him  your  mortal  and  immortal  interest.  I  feel  that  God 

will  bring  much  good  to from  your  sufferings.  If  you 

have  truly  made  your  peace  with  God,  death  must  be  to  you 
the  gate  of  glory.  To  be  freed  from  sin,  and  partake  of  the 
joys  of  the  ransomed  in  Heaven  is  a  thought  that  may  afford 
pleasure  to  the  greatest  sufferer.  My  fervent  prayer  is  that 
you  may  be  enabled  to  glorify  your  heavenly  father  in  this 
hour  of  trial,  and  in  the  end  come  forth  like  gold  seven  times 
purified.  Your  nurse,  (though  I  know  not  who  he  is,)  shares 
in  my  supplications  for  his  spiritual  welfare  ;  may  he  come 
forth  a  decided  and  devoted  Christian. 


LAST  LETTERS  TO  AND  FROM  MR.  TORREY.      281 

"  Mrs.  Bennett,  of  Woburn,  whom  I  believe  you  knew,  died 
a  few  weeks  since,  a  most  triumphant  death.  I  wish  I  could 
convey  to  you  some  of  those  precious  tokens  she  gave  of  a 
Savior's  presence  as  she  entered  the  dark  valley.  There  is 
now  a  pleasing  work  of  divine  grace  begun  at  Woburn,  and 
many  other  places  in  our  land  are  sharing  the  same  blessings ; 
particularly  Amherst  and  New  Haven  Colleges.  I  had  a  let 
ter  from  Jacob  last  week,  speaking  of  the  revival  at  Amherst, 
and  begging  an  interest  in  our  pray  ere  for  him. 

"  To-morrow,  is  with  us,  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer.  I 
hope  many  a  knee  will  be  bowed  before  God,  and  many  a 
heart  truly  humbled,  will  seek  the  pardon  of  an  offended 
God,  and  find  acceptance  with  him. 

"  Mr.  Ide  has  been  quite  unwell  since  his  return  from  Bal 
timore.  He  is  gone  this  evening  to  meet  a  Bible  class.  The 
seed  he  is  now  sowing,  I  trust  will  yet  spring  up,  <  and  bear, 
some  sixty,  some  an  hundred  fold.' 

"  May  our  hearts  unite  in  offering  the  memorable  prayer 
of  our  Savior  on  the  cross,  for  those  who  refuse  to  grant  you 
the  boon  of  a  pardon — *  Father,  forgive  them — they  know  not 
what  they  do.'  We  all  remember  you  with  feelings  of  ten- 
derest  sympathy,  and  none  more  so  than 
Your  affectionate  mother, 

MARY  E.  IDE." 

"  P.  S.  Your  wife  was  in  here  to-day — your  father  thinks 
she  looks  quite  feeble.  She  does  not  know  I  am  writing 
you,  or  she  would  send  her  love.  The  children  are  well,  and 
speak  of  father  in  terms  that  show  he  is  not  forgotten ;  they, 
with  their  mother,  remember  you  daily  in  their  prayers.  I 
have  written  in  haste,  as  you  will  perceive  by  the  frequent 
omissions  I  have  made.  I  hope  some  one  will  make  us  soon 
acquainted  with  the  state  of  your  health.  If  you  can  dictate 
to  me  an  answer  to  this  letter,  do,  and  let  me  know  how  you 
are,  etc." 

24* 


282  MEMOIR   OF  TORREY. 

"My  Dear  Son, — I  have  not  written  to  you,  as  I  intend 
ed  when  I  first  returned,  on  account  of  my  feeble  health  and 
numerous  cares  which  have  pressed  upon  me.  But  you 
have  heard  from  Mary,  and  my  wife  now  sends  you  a  line. 
When  I  parted  with  Mr.  Phelps  in  New  York,  he  told  me  he 
would  write  you  soon,  and  let  you  know  what  he  could  re 
specting  his  doings  in  your  behalf.  I  wish  very  much  to 
near  what  the  decision  of  the  governor  is  in  your  case. 
The  time  is  at  hand  when  he  intimated  to  me  he  should  act 
upon  the  case.  Mary  and  I  have  renewed  our  petitions  ;  but 
what  will  be  the  effect  I  cannot  tell.  May  the  Lord  prepare 
you  for  whatever  may  be  his  will  respecting  you. 

Affectionately  yours, 

J.  IDE." 


CHAPTER   XV. 

EFFORTS    FOR   THE    RELEASE    OF   MR.    TORREY. HIS    SICK 
NESS    AND    DEATH. 

The  following  account  is  from  the  pen  of  Rev.  A.  A.  Phelps. 

"  Mr.  Torrey  was  in  due  time  removed  from  the  jail  to  the 
penitentiary.  There,  we  have  reason  to  believe,  he  was 
treated  by  the  officers  with  all  the  leniency  that  the  rules  of 
'the  prison  would  allow.  Still,  he  was,  in  the  eye  of  the  law, 
a  criminal,  and  was  of  course  treated  as  such.  Mr.  Torrey 's 
trial  and  conviction  had  not  been  without  its  effect  on  a  por 
tion  of  the  better  class  of  citizens  in  Baltimore.  On  many 
accounts,  they  wished  his  liberation.  As  the  result,  early  in 
timations  were  given,  from  influential  sources,  that  his  libera 
tion  might  be  effected  on  very  easy  conditions.  Some  of  these 
were  made  while  Mr.  Torrey  was  yet  in  the  jail.  In  a  let 
ter,  dated  Dec.  21,  1844,  Mr.  Torrey  speaks  of  the  subject 
as  follows : 


EFFORTS  FOR  HIS  RELEASE.  283 

'  It  has  been  both  a  source  of  joy  and  humility  to  know 
how  much,  not  only  those  whom  I  know  and  loved,  but  the 
poor  slaves  and  colored  people,  and  others  whom  I  never  saw, 
have  prayed  for  me.  I  believe  God  has  already  heard  them, 
in  the  peace  I  have  enjoyed  in  my  own  heart ;  though,  as  a 
chastisement  for  my  sins,  he  may  not  open  my  prison  doors. 
But,  sinner  though  I  am,  and  not  worthy  of  their  prayers,  or 
His  favor,  I  feel  that  His  cause  is  subjected  to  persecution  in 
iny  person.  And,  though  I  may  pass,  in  a  measure,  from 
their  minds,  He  will  vindicate  that  cause  in  the  end. 

'  As  to  my  release,  the  difficulty  is  to  put  nerve  enough  in 
to  a  Southern  governor  to  bear  up  against  the  slaveholding 
aristocracy,  or  the  violent  portion  of  them.  Beyond  doubt, 
the  mass  of  the  best  men  in  Baltimore  would  be  glad  to  have 
me  released  to-day.  I  suppose  you  have  been  apprized  by 
brother  Alden,  of  the  proposal  made  me  by  men  of  high  stand 
ing,  to  secure  my  release,  on  condition  of  some  seeming  con 
cession  to  the  slaveocracy.  I  hope  to  have  Leavitt  and  Chap 
lin  here  on  Monday  night,  to  advise'me  respecting  it.  I  can 
not  afford  to  concede  any  truth  or  principle,  to  get  out  of 
prison.  I  am  not  rich  enough  !' 

"In  consequence  of  such  intimations,  the  Torrey  Commit 
tee,  at  Boston,  requested  the  gentleman,  who  was  afterwards 
employed  by  Prof.  Cleveland  and  ourself,  to  see  whether  any 
thing,  and  what,  could  be  done  to  effect  a  liberation.  Owing 
to  the  prejudices  of  the  great  body  of  the  people  in  Baltimore 
and  Maryland  against  abolitionists  generally,  and  Mr.  Tor 
rey  in  particular,  he  found  the  case  encumbered  with  great 
difficulties  ;  but  still  believed  that,  by  patient  and  persevering 
effort,  the  object  might  ultimately  be  effected.  Meanwhile, 
the  funds  of  the  Committee,  at  Boston,  were  exhausted;  and, 
as  the  immediate  prospect  did  not  seem  to  warrant  a  fresh  ap 
peal  for  this  particular  object,  it  was  concluded  by  the  Com 
mittee  to  do  nothing  farther  at  present.  We,  also,  meanwhile, 


284  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

had  removed  to  New  York.  Here,  on  the  22d  of  August, 
1845,  when  we  supposed  all  effort  on  Mr.  Torrey's  behalf  had 
been  for  some  time  at  an  end,  we  learned,  indirectly,  from  a 
Baltimore  gentleman,  that  a  small  sum  of  money  would  ef 
fect  his  release.  We  wrote,  at  once,  to  Mr.  Child,  the  coun 
sel  already  referred  to,  to  know  what  could  or  could  not  be 
done.  He  replied  fully  ;  and,  among  other  things,  said, — 

*  Yours  of  the  22d  is  received,  and  I  am  not  sure  but  there 
is  a  special  providence  in  it,  for  it  was  brought  to  my  office 
at  the  moment  I  took  up  my  pen  to  write  you.  I  spent  two 
or  three  hours  yesterday  with  Mr.  Torrey  ;  and  he  spoke  of 
you  in  such  terms,  that  I  determined  to  write  you.  The 
whole  case  of  Mr.  Torrey  is  this : — after  his  conviction,  I  was 
consulted  by  Messrs.  Leavitt  and  Chaplin,  who  came  from 
Washington  to  see  me ;  and  I  agreed  to  render  such  profes 
sional  aid  as  was  in  my  power,  feeling  also  personal  sympathy 
and  kindness  for  him  and  his  family.  *  *  I  have  had  free 
intercourse,  and  now  have,  with  Mr.  T.,  as  his  counsel,  and 
have  endeavored  to  prepare  the  way  for  an  application  for 
his  pardon.  *  *  There  are  reasons,  which  convince  me,  that 
unless  the  party  injured,  (I  speak  of  course  in  the  dialect  of  a 
slave  State,  where  slaves  are  by  law  property,)  is  satisfied, 
no  application  for  pardon  will  be  ever  entertained.  It  is  my 
impression,  that  if  that  can  be  done,  there  is  a  chance  to  suc 
ceed.  I  have  no  authority,  however,  to  say  he  will  be  par 
doned,  but  I  believe  there  is  a  fair  prospect.  Mr.  Torrey 
complains  bitterly  of  pains  in  his  brain  and  in  his  heart ;  and 
I  was  yesterday  impressed  with  the  conviction  that  he  is  wear 
ing  out.  He  is  about,  and  works  when  he  pleases,  and  as  he 
pleases,  but  does  but  little.  *  *  I  communicated  to  him  the 
decision  of  his  friends  in  Boston,  that  they  could  not  aid  him 
at  present,  and  urged  him  to  try  to  keep  up  good  spirits,  as 
suring  him  that  I  should  not  give  up  his  case.  He  has,  how 
ever,  now,  evidently  no  hope  of  release.  And  I  have  always 


EFFORTS  FOR  HIS  RELEASE.  285 

felt,  that  whenever  hope  left  him,  he  would  break  down.  If 
you  think  the  means  can  be  procured,  the  present  is  perhaps 
a  favorable  time.' 

"With  this,  the  efforts  of  Prof.  Cleveland  and  ourself 
began.  Having  satisfied  ourselves,  by  correspondence  and  by 
a  personal  visit  to  Baltimore,  that  there  was  every  reason  to 
expect  early  and  complete  success,  the  appeal  was  made,  per 
sonally  and  by  circular,  for  funds.  The  answer  was  prompt 
and  generous — amply  sufficient,  in  money  and  pledges,  to 
meet  all  the  pecuniary  demands  of  the  case.  Not  unfrequently 
the  donations  were  of  such  a  character,  and  accompanied  with 
such  expressions  of  sympathy  for  Mr.  Torrey  as  brought 
tears  to  our  eyes  as  we  opened  and  read  the  letters  convey 
ing  them.  In  one  instance  a  worthy  friend,  learning  of  the 
effort,  set  off,  of  his  own  motion,  through  his  county,  and  sent 
us  as  the  result  of  his  labors,  one  hundred  dollars.  In  an 
other  case,  we  wrote  to  a  single  individual,  asking  five  dol 
lars,  and  he  sent  us  ten.  In  numbers  of  instances,  more  was 
given  than  was  solicited.  In  several,  liberal  contributions 
were  made  by  persons  who  thoroughly  condemned  Mr.  Tor- 
rey's  conduct.  In  one  of  these,  the  donor,  after  condemning 
Mr.  Torrey's  proceedings  in  the  strongest  terms,  concluded 
by  saying  that  still  he  did  not  think  it  would  be  doing  just  as 
he  would  be  done  by,  to  do  nothing  for  his  release,  and  he 
therefore  enclosed  twenty  dollars. 

"  With  the  fund  secured,  no  labor  was  spared,  by  us  or  the 
counsel  at  Baltimore,  to  secure  a  favorable  result.  We  made 
three  journeys  to  Baltimore,  and  conducted  a  very  extended 
correspondence  in  reference  to  it.  We  have  now  over  twenty 
letters  on  the  subject  from  the  counsel  alone,  each  of  which 
required  an  answer,  and  some  of  them  a  long  one.  The  coun 
sel  corresponded  extensively  also  with  other  persons  ;  and,  in 
fact,  devoted  most  of  his  time,  for  more  than  three  months,  to 
the  case.  The  result  is  known.  It  disappointed  him  and  us 
entirely.  True,  as  the  Baltimore  Patriot  stated  soon  after 


286  MEMOIR  OP  TORRET. 

the  letter  of  Prof.  Cleveland  and  ourselves  to  the  governor 
appeared,  the  governor  had  never  authorized  any  one  to  say, 
in  so  many  words,  that  he  would  pardon  Mr.  Torrey  on  any 
terms.  But  some  of  his  intimate  personal  and  political  friends 
had  intimated  their  belief  that  he  would,  and  stated  the  terms 
on  which  they  believed  he  would  do  it,  and  this  after  con 
versation  with  him  in  respect  to  it.  The  same  belief  was 
the  result  of  an  informal  and  direct  interview  with  the  gov 
ernor  by  our  own  counsel.  The  truth,  however,  in  the  end, 
became  clear.  The  governor  and  his  slaveholding  masters 
never  meant  to  release  Mr.  Torrey,  until  he  was  virtually  a 
dead  man.  When  they  intimated  that  in  order  to  his  pardon 
this  obstacle  must  be  removed,  and  then  that,  and  then  a  third, 
and  so  on, — it  was  only  to  gain  time,  and  not  to  release  their 
victim  until  he  was  at  the  grave's  mouth,  if  at  all.  For  three 
months  or  more,  the  governor  had  the  subject  virtually  be 
fore  him ;  for  three  long  weeks  he  had  it  before  him  in  form. 
He  knew,  all  this  time,  that  Mr.  Torrey  was  hastening  to  the 
grave — that  he  could  not  live  long  where  he  was.  Yet,  when 
urged,  by  the  venerable  Dr.  Ide,  to  a  decision,  he,  the  gov 
ernor  of  a  sovereign  State,  must  needs  consult  a  slaveholding 
grand  jury  of  his  own  county  to  know  whether  he  might  ex 
ercise  the  executive  prerogative  of  pardon  !  Did  ever  slave 
cringe  more  submissively  to  his  master  ?  Was  ever  vengeance 
more  implacable  to  its  victim  ?  Mr.  Torrey  at  once  saw  the 
issue,  and,  with  Christian  confidence,  resigned  himself  to  it. 
Friends,  as  they  saw  him,  bade  him  a  last  adieu." 


Visit  of  Dr.  Ide  to  the  Governor  of  Maryland. 

"  I  visited  the  governor  to  intercede  for  his  immediate  de 
cision  in  Mr.  Torrey's  case.  But  after  all  I  could  say,  he 
coolly  deferred_the  whole  subject  to  April,  till  after  the  grand 
jury  of  Prince  George's  county  should  meet  and  give  their 
opinion  in  relation  to  it. 


EFFORTS  FOR  HIS  RELEASE.  287 

"  When  I  returned  and  communicated  the  result  of  my  mis 
sion  to  Mr.  Torrey,  it  was  intensely  interesting  as  well  as 
deeply  affecting,  to  witness  the  working  of  his  mind.  Watch 
ing  with  an  anxious  look  every  word  that  was  said,  at  the  close 
of  the  narrative  he  instantly  replied,  '  That  is  to  decide  against 
me ;  I  expected  it  would  be  so.'  Here  he  paused  a  moment, 
and  said  again,  '  Well,  I  may  as  well  die  here  as  anywhere. 
If  it  is  the  will  of  God,  I  am  willing  to.'  And  for  some  time 
he  laid  hold  of  considerations  in  the  government  of  God,  which 
seemed  to  buoy  up  his  spirits.  But  at  length  he  burst  into 
tears  and  said,  '  This  (meaning  the  decision  of  the  governor) 
will  distress  me  some  time  when  I  am  alone.'  Here  the  cir 
cumstances  of  his  wife  and  children,  the  thought  of  seeing 
them  no  more,  quite  overcame  him  for  a  time.  Our  parting 
was  an  affecting  one ;  Heft  him,  expecting  to  see  him  no  more." 

"  Baltimore,  April  9,  1846. 

"  Rev.  and  dear  Sir, — Your  good  letter  was  read  by  me 
yesterday,  just  after  I  had  returned  from  a  visit  to  Mr.  Tor 
rey.  I  found  him  weaker  than  he  was  last  week,  and  less 
able  to  converse  without  interruption  from  coughing  and  want 
of  breath,  but  in  a  most  enviable  state  of  mind ;  as  he  seems 
to  have  cast  all  his  cares  on  God,  and  to  have  received  a  ful 
filment  of  the  precious  Scripture  promise,  '  As  thy  days,  so 
shall  thy  strength  be.'  I  do  not  know  that  he  is  failing  very 
fast,  but  I  should  not  be  surprised  to  hear  that  he  had  gone  to 
his  rest  in  heaven,  any  day.  Rev.  R.  B.  Hubbard,  of  Worces 
ter,  and  Dr.  Bellows,  of  Charlestown,  accompanied  me  to  the 
prison  yesterday,  both  of  whom  he  recognized  as  his  friends. 
The  warden  has  very  kindly  allowed  me  to  visit  him  as  often 
as  I  could ;  and  I  usually  pray  with  him,  at  his  request.  I 
read  a  long  and  beautiful  letter  to  Mr.  Torrey  a  few  days  ago, 
from  brother  Phelps,  giving  him  an  account  of  his  recent  pro 
ceedings. 

"  You  inquire  concerning  the  state  of  feeling  towards  him  in 


288  MEMOIR  OP  TORREY. 

Maryland,  and  the  prospect  of  his  pardon  by  the  governor.  In 
reply  I  may  say  that  I  think  most  of  the  people  in  the  State 
would  be  willing  that  he  should  be  released,  if  they  knew 
just  the  state  of  his  health ;  and  many  in  this  city  feel  very 
strongly  on  the  subject ;  but  I  do  not  believe  that  the  execu 
tive  will  deem  it  expedient  ever  to  grant  his  pardon.  I  have 
always  thought  the  same.  I  see  no  hope,  therefore,  for  him, 
and  we  must  all  commit  his  body  and  soul  to  the  mercy  and 
love  of  Him  who  had  not  where  to  lay  his  head,  and  who  died 
to  redeem  us  from  the  eternal  captivity  of  sin. 

"I  was  sorry  to  hear  that  Mrs.  Torrey  is  yet  unwell. 
May  she  find  her  Savior  precious  at  this  time  of  her  sore 
trial,  and  may  her  spirit  be  refined  to  the  purity  of  angels,  by 
this  seven  times  heated  furnace  of  affliction. 

"  Mr.  Rowe  and  family  wish  to  be  particularly  and  indi 
vidually  remembered  to  you  and  your  daughter.  They  often 
speak  of  you,  and  pray  for  you,  and  we  all  feel  towards  you 
as  towards  a  father  and  sister. 

"  I  design  to  visit  Mr.  Torrey  again  before  long,  and  will 
write  you  the  result.  Perhaps  some  of  his  friends  will  come 
to  Baltimore  soon,  as  I  think  he  cannot  live  many  weeks. 

I  am,  dear  sir,  very  respectfully  and  very  affectionately, 
Yours,  PORTER  H.  SNOW." 

"Baltimore,  April  22,  1846. 

"  Rev.  and  dear  Sir, — As  I  have  just  returned  from  the 
prison,  I  know  you  would  like  to  receive  a  line  from  me  re 
specting  Mr.  Torrey.  He  is  very  low  indeed.  I  met  Dr. 
Gibson  this  morning,  just  before  I  saw  Mr.  Torrey,  and  he 
informed  me  that  he  could  not  live  more  than  two  weeks,  and 
he  might  not  survive  one  week  longer.  He  is  very  weak,  per 
spires  profusely  at  night,  and  is  sinking  rapidly  to  his  grave. 
I  conversed  with  him  for  about  half  an  hour,  and  he  ex 
pressed  resignation  to  his  fate.  He  was  less  clear  and  ex 
plicit  concerning  his  feelings  than  when  I  have  seen  him  be- 


EFFORTS  FOR  HIS  RELEASE. 


289 


fore  ;  owing,  I  think,  to  his  low  state,  and  perhaps  somewhat 
to  the  medicine  he  takes.  I  told  him  that  he  could  not  live 
many  days,  and  that  I  hoped  all  would  be  well  with  him 
when  his  spirit  took  its  flight.  He  replied  that  he  trusted  irt 
Christ,  and  could  leave  all  with  him.  He  wished  me  to  say  to 
you,  in  answer  to  an  inquiry  in  a  letter,  either  from  yourself 
or  Mrs.  Torrey,  that  he  wrote  the  tale  referred  to,  at  Wash 
ington,  in  1842. 

"  I  have  great  confidence  in  Mr.  T.,  and  cannot  but  believe 
that  he  will  soon  be  with  his  Savior  and  God  in  heaven. 
Mr.  Kline,  one  of  the  officers  in  the  prison,  conversed  with  me 
about  him  this  morning ;  and  I  was  happy  to  hear  him  ex 
press  a  good  opinion  of  Mr.  T.,  as  he  has  often  seen  him  and 
talked  with  him.  Mr.  Kline  believes  that  he  has  always 
acted  conscientiously,  and  that  he  now  manifests  Christian  re^- 
signation  in  view  of  death. 

"You  will  not  be  surprised,  dear  sir,  to  hear  of  Mr.  Tor* 
rey's  death  any  day.  Have  you  any  directions  to  give  re 
specting  his  funeral  and  burial?  I  will  do  anything  you  di 
rect,  in  the  event  of  his  death.  May  we  hope  to  see  you  or 
any  of  your  family  in  Baltimore  soon  ? 

Yours,  very  respectfully,  and  in  the  bonds  of  Christ, 

PORTER  H.  SNOW."  • 

"Baltimore,  May  4,  184G. 

"  Mr.  Torrey  is  rapidly  failing.  It  is  not  probable  he  will 
last  a  week  longer.  His  mind  is  clear,  his  faith  strong,  hi* 
hope  an  anchor  that  binds  him  in  unwavering  confidence  to 
his  Savior.  He  is  a  happy  man.  Oh  that  his  murderers  could 
but  feel  one  moiety  of  that  love  to  man  that  has  brought 
him  there,  or  of  that  love  to  God  which  makes  him  happy 
there,  in  spite  of  all  their  deridings  and  traducings. — But  this 
is  not  the  object  of  this  letter.  ***** 
Yours,  truly, 

W.  C.  BRADLEY.'* 
25 


290  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 


"  Baltimore,  May  8, 1846. 

"Dear  friend  Ide, — I  have  been  to  visit  Mr.  Torrey  this 
morning,  and  find  him  just  alive.  He  had  a  hemorrhage  last 
night,  and  it  was  thought  that  he  would  not  live  till  morning  ; 
but  he  is  yet  spared  to  us.  I  found  him  rather  delirious  and 
very  feeble.  His  pulse  only  flutters.  He  knew  me,  and  said 
a  few  precious  words  of  faith  and  resignation.  Dear  man  ! 
It  is  hard  for  him  to  die  in  prison.  *  Sick  and  in  prison,  and 
ye  visited  me,'  said  he.  '  How  kind  was  Jesus  to  combine  these 
two  circumstances,  and  make  them  a  climax  in  his  specifica 
tions — he  may  have  thought  of  me.'  These  are  our  dear 
brother  Torrey's  words.  It  was  a  trial  for  me  to  sit  by  his 
cot  and  notice  his  pain,  his  eyes  once  so  bright  and  sparkling 
now  lustreless,  his  face  pale  and  ghastly,  his  whole  appear 
ance  like  that  of  a  man  just  about  to  die.  He  may  survive 
R  day  or  two ;  but  as  he  expectorated  some  half  a  gill  of  blood 
last  night,  and  looks  so  death-like  now,  1  think  he  will  have 
embraced  his  Savior  in  heaven,  before  this  line  reaches  you. 
I  do  not  think  he  can  live  more  than  a  day  or  two  longer.  I 
cannot  write  you  a  long  letter  now,  as  I  wish  I  could.  I  have 
visited  him  often  since  you  left,  and  shall  go  to  the  prison  to 
day  again.  All  things  have  been  arranged  as  you  directed. 
Mr.  Rowe  will  write  you,  the  hour  he  hears  of  his  death. 
Dr.  Gibson  is  not  in  town ;  but  Dr.  Wm.  F.  Peabody,  the  gen 
tleman  you  met  at  our  house,  will  attend  to  your  requests  con 
cerning  the  preparation  of  the  body  to  be  carried  to  Boston. 
Let  us  look  to  God  for  support  under  our  trials,  arid  may  we 
be  prepared  for  our  own  dissolution.  Perhaps  you  will  send 
this  line  at  once  to  your  father,  as  I  cannot  write  him  to-day. 
Tender  my  love  to  the  afflicted  friends  at  Medvvay,  and  as 
sure  them  of  my  deep  love  to  the  sick,  imprisoned  disciple 
of  Jesus,  who  is  so  dear  to  them. 

Yours,  in  the  bonds  of  Christian  affection, 

PORTER  H.  SNOW." 


THE  PRISON  SCENE.  291 

[Letter  from  Rev.  Mr.  Smalley,  of  Worcester.] 
THE  PRISON  SCENE. 

"  At  the  request  of  the  officers  and  other  members  of  my 
church,  I  recently  visited  Baltimore  to  see  the  Rev.  Charles 
T.  Torrey.  I  left  Worcester  May  the  4th,  and  arrived  at 
Baltimore  on  the  morning  of  the  next  day.  As  early  as 
practicable  on  the  following  morning,  I  started  for  the  prison. 
On  being  introduced  to  the  Warden  of  the  prison,  I  stated  to 
him  my  object,  and  asked  him  if  he  would  grant  me  permis 
sion  to  visit  the  prisoner.  He  very  cheerfully  assented  to 
my  request,  and  in  a  few  moments  I  was  in  the  hospital  of 
the  prison.  Mr.  T.  was  prostrate  upon  his  bed,  and  so  much 
emaciated  that,  for  an  instant,  I  could  hardly  believe  that  it 
was  the  Mr.  T.  that  I  formerly  knew.  With  a  smile  of  re 
cognition,  he  extended  his  "thin  and  feverish  hand  to  me,  and 
expressed  his  grateful  emotions  that  he  had  not  been  forgot 
ten  by  his  friends  at  the  North  in  his  trials  and  affliction*. 
He  seemed  to  be  in  a  very  desirable  frame  of  mind ;  and 
spoke  of  the  present  and  the  future  with  entire  resignation 
of  spirit.  At  his  request  I  administered  the  Sacrament  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  to  him.  It  was  indeed  a  solemn  and  im 
pressive  scene.  He  appeared  to  be  lost  in  devout  and  grate 
ful  contemplation  of  the  Redeemer,  and  though  unable  to  say 
much,  he  obviously  felt  that  the  promises  of  that  precious 
Savior  were  full  of  hope  and  consolation.  The  emotions  of 
that  hour  cannot  be  easily  forgotten. 

"  He  is  obviously  in  the  last  stages  of  consumption.  It  has 
been  a  cause  of  wonder  to  some,  that  his  friends  do  not  make 
efforts  to  obtain  his  pardon  and  remove  him  to  the  North, 
that  he  may  die  in  the  bosom  of  his  family.  It  is  enough 
perhaps  to  say  respecting  this,  that  he  has  not  strength  to  en 
dure  one  half  of  the  fatigue  of  a  removal.  I  do  not  believe, 
that  with  the  utmost  care,  he  would  survive  a  removal  even 


292  MEMOIR  OP  TORREY. 

as  far  as  Philadelphia.  Could  he  be  removed  from  the  pris 
on  to  the  kind  attentions  of  some  private  family  near,  he 
might  be  rendered  more  comfortable.  Where  he  is,  he  has 
perhaps  all  the  comforts  that  could  reasonably  be  expected. 
The  wardens  and  officers  seem  to  be  very  well  disposed  to 
wards  him  ;  and  they  were  very  ready  to  aid  me  in  minister 
ing  to  his  consolation.  But  to  be  sick  in  prison,  with  the 
prisoner's  dress  suspended  over  one's  head,  with  no  other  at 
tendance  than  can  be  afforded  in  the  hospital  of  a  prison, 
with  no  wife,  or  mother,  or  sister,  to  smooth  the  pillow,  or 
throw  an  air  of  neatness  around  the  room,  with  none  but 
strangers  to  call  upon  for  aid  : — O  the  picture  need  not  be 
filled  out  in  order  to  show  us  that  it  is  horrible  beyond  de 
scription." 

The  first  notice  of  Mr.  Torrey's  death  was  by  the  follow 
ing  letter  addressed  to  Mr.  N.  E.  Ide,  of  Boston  : 

"Baltimore,  May  9,  1846. 

"Our  Torrey — the  slaves'  Torrey — the  world's  Torrey  is 
no  more.  The  God  of  the  oppressed  has  called  him  to  his 
reward.  His  pardon  has  long  been  signed  and  sealed  by  the 
King  of  kings  ;  and  this  afternoon  at  three  o'clock,  a  mes 
senger  from  the  Court  of  Heaven  came  down  and  opened  the 
prison  doors,  and  set  him  free !  And  he  is  now  the  wonder 
and  joy  of  the  heavenly  host.  Methinks  to-night  there  are 
new  songs  in  heaven.  *  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  to  one 
of  the  least  of  these,  ye  have  done  it  to  me.  Enter  thou 
into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord.'  " 

THE  DEATH  SCENE. 
[From  the  Baltimore  Saturday  Visitor.] 

"  Charles  T.  Torrey  is  at  last  gone,  freed  from  prison  with 
out  the  aid  of  the  governor,  leaving  the  funds  offered  to  the 
owners  of  the  slaves  for  whom  he  suffered  the  heavy  penalty 


THE  DEATH  SCENE.  293 

of  the  law,  for  his  release,  in  the  hands  of  those  who  will  no 
doubt  properly  appropriate  it  to  the  wants  of  his  bereaved 
wife  and  children,  which  is  well.  He  died  at  three  o'clock, 
P.  M.,  on  the  9th  instant,  with  that  calmness  and  resignation 
which  became  him,  and  yet  hardly  to  be  anticipated  in  a  death 
watched  over  only  by  the  prison  officials,  rather  than  by  the 
friends  of  his  home  and  heart,  whose  soothing  voices  and  care 
ful  ministrations  are  no  trifles  in  the  estimation  of  the  departing; 
Mr.  Torrey's  disease,  as  our  readers  are  aware,  was  pulmon 
ary  consumption,  to  which  he  was  predisposed,  both  of  his 
parents  having  died  of  it,  we  believe — but  which  was  no 
doubt  developed  by  the  influences  of  prison  life,  and  would 
probably  have  withheld  its  fatal  grasp  many  a  year — if  not 
entirely.  His  dying  symptoms  were  pretty  much  those  of 
all  consumptive  patients.  A  slight  hemorrhage  from  the 
lungs  was  the  only  marked  indication  of  the  solemn  crisis. 
This  took  place  a  day  or  two  before  his  death,  and  brought 
away  so  little  blood,  that  it  would  have  been  by  no  means 
important,  if  arising  from  a  less  urgent  cause  than  the  utter 
rottenness  of  the  pulmonary  vessels  from  which  it  came. 

11  Mr.  Torrey's  body  was  put  under  the  control  of  those 
who  kindly  consented  to  act  for  his  friends,  and  after  being 
prepared  for  its  journey  by  arsenous  injections  into  the  ar 
teries,  was  placed  in  a  neat  cherry  coffin,  which  was  lined 
with  zinc,  and  in  which  a  pane  of  glass  was  arranged  in  or 
der  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  opening  it  to  the  view  of  the 
crowd  of  anxious  relatives  and  friends,  who,  no  doubt,  awaited 
its  arrival  at  the  place  of  destination." 

To  the  above  we  subjoin  the  following,  from  a  private  note 
of  one  of  the  friends  in  Baltimore,  to  whom  the  care  of  Mr. 
Torrey's  remains  were  committed.  The  writer  says  : 

"  During  the  performance  of  the  melancholy  duties  of  pre 
paring  the  body  of  the  departed  Torrey,  I  embraced  the  OD- 
25* 


294  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

portunity  to  enter  into  conversation  with  several  of  the  offi 
cers  relative  to  his  last,  hours.  The  deputy  warden  was  with 
him  to  the  last,  and  seemed  quite  attached  to  him.  He  said 
that  Torrey  was  perfectly  conscious  to  the  '  last  breath,' 
though  unable  to  speak.  He  sat  four  hours  by  his  bed-side, 
wetting  his  lips  with  an  acid  water,  and  ministering  as  far  as 
possible  to  his  comfort ;  for  which  he  repeatedly  expressed 
•his  gratitude  in  signs  and  looks  that  much  affected  him.  His 
exit  was  perfectly  calm  and  peaceful.  He  died  without  a 
groan  or  struggle  ;  and  with  every  indication  of  a  happy  state 
of  mind.  He  had  no  doubt  as  to  his  piety ;  nor  had  any  offi 
cer  in  the  institution." 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

FUNERAL. EXTRACTS   FROM    THE     SERMON    PREACHED    ON 

THAT  OCCASION. 

The  body  of  Mr.  Torrey  had  been  asked  by  his  friends,  of 
the -prison  physician  for  burial.  This  request  was  assented 
to.  Immediately,  as  soon  as  the  news  of  his  death  reached 
Boston,  a  few  of  his  friends  were  called  together,  to  make  ar 
rangements  for  his  burial.  Directions  were  sent  to  Balti 
more  to  have  the  body  partially  embalmed,  and  it  arrived  in 
a  state  of  almost  perfect  preservation.  The  funeral  was  ap 
pointed  at  the  Park-street  Church,  but  for  some  reason,  the 
full  board  of  directors  in  that  church,  withdrew  the  consent, 
that  had  been  given  by  the  chairman,  and  the  place  was 
changed  to  the  Tremont  Temple.  On  Monday,  the  19th 
of  May,  at  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  this  spacious  room  was  filled 
to  its  utmost  capacity.  The  colored  people  thronged  in  great 
numbers  to  pay  the  last  tribute  of  respect  to  one  who  had  suf 
fered  so  much  for  their  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh.  The 
following  account  of  the  funeral  is  taken  from  the  Christian 
Reflector : 


THE  FUNERAL.  295 


THE  FUNERAL. 

"  We  were  present  on  Monday  afternoon,  at  the  funeral  of 
the  Rev.  Charles  T.  Torrey.  The  body  had  been  subjected 
to  a  temporary  embalming,  and  so  hermetically  sealed,  as  not 
to  be  in  the  least  offensive.  While  we  looked  through  the 
glass  upon  his  pale,  but  not  greatly  changed  countenance,  we 
thought  of  the  days  when  we  saw  it  sparkling  with  life,  and 
beaming  with  benevolence  as  he  plead  for  the  rights  of  hu 
manity,  and  for  the  poor  and  down-trodden  slave.  And 
while  we  envied  not  the  abettors  of  slavery  and  oppression 
who  had  wrung  from  their  victim  the  last  drop  of  anguish 
which  persevering  hate  and  cruelty  could  extort,  with  mingled 
but  no  ordinary  pleasure,  we  followed  his  released  spirit  up 
to  its  joyful  welcome  among  the  benevolent,  to  those  scenes 
of  bliss  and  joy  '  where  tyrants  never  come.' 

'.'  The  Scriptures  were  read  on  the  occasion  by  the  Rev. 
Jotham  Horton,  of  the  Methodist  connection.  The  first 
prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  N.  Colver,  and  the  closing 
prayer  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Webster.  The  sermon*  which  was 
thrilling  and  eloquent,  was  delivered  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Lovejoy, 
brother  to  the  martyr  of  liberty  in  the  West.  His  discourse 
was  founded  upon  Psalm  cv.  48  :  '  Whose  feet  they  hurt  with 
fetters  ;  he  was  laid  in  irons.'  He  vindicated  the  character 
and  the  deeds  of  the  deceased,  gave  many  interesting  sketch 
es  of  his  life,  detailed  at  considerable  length  the  circumstan 
ces  which  led  to  his  arrest,  the  events  of  his  trial,  the  exerci 
ses  of  his  mind  while  enduring  his  cruel  and  unjust  imprison 
ment,  gave  extracts  from  some  of  his  letters  to  his  wife  and 
friends  (written  before  and  after  his  conviction,)  and  descri 
bed  the  state  of  his  mind  and  his  firm  trust  in  his  Savior  in 
the  hour  of  death.  Many  parts  of  the  discourse  produced  a 
deep  impression  upon  the  vast  auditory — especially  where 
the  speaker  quoted  the  words  of  the  deceased,  when,  in  Ian- 


296  MEMOIR  OP  TORRE t. 

guage  worthy  of  the  hest  martyrs  of  the  church,  he  declared 
his  unalterable  determination  to  die  in  prison,  rather  than  ad 
mit  that  in  the  act  for  which  he  was  condemned,  he  had  vio 
lated  any  precept  of  the  Christian  religion. 

"  There  were  more  than  three  thousand  persons  present  on 
the  occasion.  The  spacious  temple  was  full  to  overflow 
ing,  and  multitudes  could  not  gain  admittance.  The  entire 
platform  was  occupied  by  ministers  of  different  denomina 
tions,  and  many  more  seated  below  for  whom  there  was  not 
room  on  the  platform.  Among  the  auditory,  and  towards 
whom  all  hearts  turned  with  the  liveliest  sympathy,  were 
seen  the  widow  and  children  of  the  lion-hearted  Torrey. 
His  father-in-law,  the  venerable  Rev.  Dr.  Ide,  of  Bled  way, 
was  also  present.  A  tender  arid  subdued  grief  and  a  deep  so 
lemnity  pervaded  the  vast  assembly.  Well  might  they  weep. 
Tears  were  not  inappropriate  as  they  regarded  the  murdered 
victim  of  a  system  of  atrocious  and  unsurpassed  iniquity 
which  involves  the  sin  of  the  nation.  Many  felt  the  appro 
priateness  of  the  apostolic  injunction,  to  '  weep  with  those 
that  weep,'  as  they  looked  upon  the  stricken,  smitten  ones, 
and  thought  of  the  cause  of  that  desolation.  O,  it  was  that 
the  heart  of  that  husband — of  that  father,  was  too  full  of  the 
gushings  of  humanity.  O,  it  was  that  that  commended  him. 
to  the  deep  admiration  and  love  of  his  wife  and  friends,  and 
saints  and  angels,  and  Christ,  which  had  made  him  the  early 
victim  of  the  tyrant's  hate. 

"  Well,  it  is  over  !  *  Torrey  sleeps  in  his  grave  !'  But, 
*  though  dead,  he  yet  speaketh,'  and  his  martyr  death  shall 
yet  tell  upon  the  liberty  of  sighing  bondmen  for  whom  he 
died.  The  silent  tears  which  fell  around  the  bier  of  the  Rev. 
Charles  T.  Torrey,  bore  witness  to  the  more  than  Hannibal 
vow  of  eternal  hatred  to  slavery.  Many,  we  doubt  not,  in 
the  very  spirit  of  Christ,  pledged  themselves  anew  to  '  re 
member  those  that  are  in  bonds  as  bound  with  them.'  A  col 
lection  was  taken  at  the  close  to  erect  a  monument  over  his 


THE  FUNERAL.  297 

grave.  Its  office  will  merely  be  to  mark  the  place  where  his 
body  lies — he  will  need  no  such  monument  to  perpetuate  the 
memory  of  his  name  ;  its  shrine  will  be  in  every  benevolent 
heart,  and  while  humanity  flows,  it  will  be  held  in  sweet  re 
membrance.  It  shall  be  remembered  that  one  there  was  who 
would  sooner  die  himself  than  betray  a  friend  to  the  slave  in 
to  the  hand  of  the  tyrants — that  one  there  was  who  would 
sympathize  with  the  enslaved,  the  down-trodden  and  the  de 
spised  of  men,  even  unto  death,  and  that  one  was  the  Rev. 
Charles  Turner  Torrey. 

"  The  following  appropriate  hymn  was  prepared  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Colver,  and  sung  on  the  occasion. 

'  Go  to  the  grave,  in  all  thy  glorious  prime, 

In  full  activity  of  zeal  and  power; 
A  Christian  cannot  die  before  his  time ; 

The  Lord's  appointment  is  the  servant's  hour. 

'  Go  to  the  grave :  at  noon  from  labors  cease ; 

Rest  on  thy  sheaves ;  thy  harvest  task  is  done ; 
Come  from  the  heat  of  hattle,  and  in  peace  ; 
Soldier,  go  home  ;  with  thee  the  fight  is  won. 

1  Go  to  the  grave— from  prison  walls  released ; 

Where  tyrants  bound  thee  for  thy  work  of  love ! 
Thy  sufferings  ended,  for  the  poor  oppressed, 
Go  up  and  rest  thee,  with  thy  Lord  above. 

'  Go  to  the  grave :   no :  take  thy  seat  on  high, 
Near  Mercy's  throne,  where  tyrants  never  come ; 

Let  thy  pure  spirit  bask  in  love  and  joy, 
And  dwell  forever  with  thy  Lord  at  home.' 

"  A  number  of  the  friends  of  the  deceased  followed  his  re 
mains  to  Mount  Auburn  cemetery. 

"In  the  evening,  a  large  meeting,  in  further  commemora 
tion  of  the  many  virtues  and  rare  deeds  of  Mr.  Torrey,  was 
held  at  Faneuil  Hall.  Gen.  Samuel  Fessenden,  of  Maine, 
presided,  assisted  by  Ellis  Gray  Loring  and  Francis  Jackson, 
Esqs.  of  Boston,  as  vice  presidents,  and  Messrs  J.  G.  Whit- 


298  MEMOIR  OP  TORREY. 

tier,  Geo.  Minot,  and  Richard  Hildreth,  as  secretaries.  Rev. 
Mr.  Hatch,  of  the  Methodist  church,  opened  the  meeting  with 
prayer;  after  which  an  interesting  and  eulogistic  letter  was 
read,  from  Hon.  Stephen  C.  Phillips,  of  Salem,  by  Rev.  Joshua 
Leavitt.  Addresses  were  made  by  Gen.  Fessenden,  Henry 
B.  Stanton,  Dr.  Walter  Channing,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Lovejoy. 
A  beautiful  poem,  from  the  pen  of  James  Russell  Lowell,  was 
read  to  the  meeting  by  Dr.  Channing. 

"  Thus  has  the  body  of  our  departed  brother  been  consigned 
to  its  last  resting  place.  We  trust  his  spirit  is  now  where  the 
slave  is  free  from  his  master,  and  the  wicked  cease  from  troub 
ling.  Thus  has  another  victim  to  the  American  Moloch 
been  buried  with  suitable  honors  by  his  sympathizing  friends. 
When  the  mists  of  prejudice  and  error  are  dissipated  by  the  sun 
of  truth — when  slavery  is  numbered  among  the  things  that 
were,  then  will  posterity  do  justice  to  the  heroic  deeds,  the 
active  humanity,  the  courageous  virtue  of  the  Christian  mar 
tyr,  CHARLES  TURNER  TORREY." 

Conclusion,  by  J.  G.  Whittier. 

"We  conclude  this  affecting  detail,  with  the  following 
touching  remarks  of  J.  G.  Whittier,  in  the  Essex  Transcript: 

'  Some  seven  years  ago,  we  saw  Charles  T.  Torrey  for  the 
first  time.  His  wife  was  leaning  on  his  arm — young,  loving 
and  beautiful ;  the  heart  that  saw  them  blessed  them.  Since 
that  time,  we  have  known  him  as  a  most  energetic  and  zeal 
ous  advocate  of  the  anti-slavery  cause.  He  had  fine  talents, 
improved  by  learning  arid  observation  ;  a  clear,  intensely  ac 
tive  intellect,  and  a  heart  full  of  sympathy  and  genial  humani 
ty.  It  was  with  strange  and  bitter  feelings  that  we  bent  over 
his  coffin  and  looked  upon  his  still  face.  The  pity  which  we 
had  felt  for  him  in  his  long  sufferings,  gave  place  to  indignation 
against  his  murderers.  Hateful  beyond  the  power  of  expression 
seemed  the  tyranny  which  had  murdered  him  with  the  slow- 
torture  of  the  dungeon.  May  God  forgive  us,  if  for  the  mo- 


THE  FUNERAL.  299 

ment  we  felt  like  grasping  His  dread  prerogative  of  vengeance. 
As  we  passed  out  of  the  Hall,  a  friend  grasped  our  hand  hard, 
his  eye  flashing  through  its  tears,  with  a  stern  reflection  of  our 
own  emotions,  while  he  whispered  through  his  pressed  lips : 
*  It  is  enough  to  turn  every  anti-slavery  heart  into  steel.'  Our 
blood  boiled;  we  longed  to  see  the  wicked  apologists  of  sla 
very — the  blasphemous  defenders  of  it  in  church  and  State — 
led  up  to  the  coffin  of  our  murdered  brother,  and  there  made 
to  feel  that  their  hands  had  aided  in  riveting  the  chain  upon 
those  still  limbs,  and  in  shutting  out  from  those  cold  lips  the 
free  breath  of  heaven. 

"  A  long  procession  followed  his  remains  to  their  resting 
place  at  Mount  Auburn.  A  monument  to  his  memory  will 
be  raised  in  that  cemetery,  in  the  midst  of  the  green  beauty 
of  the  scenery  which  he  loved  in  life — and  side  by  side  with 
the  honored  dead  of  Massachusetts.  Thither  let  the  friends 
of  humanity  go  to  gather  fresh  strength  from  the  memory  of 
the  martyr.  There  let  the  slaveholder  stand,  and  as  he  reads 
the  record  of  the  enduring  marble,  commune  with  his  own 
heart,  and  feel  that  sorrow  which  worketh  repentance. 

"  The  young,  the  beautiful,  the  brave ! — he  is  safe  now 
from  the  malice  of  his  enemies.  Nothing  can  harm  him  more. 
His  work  for  the  poor  and  helpless  was  well  and  nobly  done. 
In  the  wild  woods  of  Canada,  around  many  a  happy  fireside 
and  holy  family  altar,  his  name  is  on  the  lips  of  God's  poor. 
He  put  his  soul  in  their  soul's  stead ;  he  gave  his  life  for  those 
who  had  no  claim  on  his  love  save  that  of  human  brotherhood. 
How  poor,  how  pitiful  and  paltry  seem  our  own  labors  !  How 
small  and  mean  our  trials  and  sacrifices  t  May  the  spirit  of  the 
dead  be  with  us,  and  infuse  into  our  hearts  something  of  his 
own  deep  sympathy,  his  hatred  of  injustice,  his  strong  faith 
and  heroic  endurance.  May  that  spirit  be  gladdened  in  its 
present  sphere,  by  the  increased  zeal  and  faithfulness  of  the 
friends  he  has  left  behind." 


300  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 


Extracts  from  the  Sermon  preached  at  the  Funeral  of 
Mr.  Torrey. 

Lamentations  3:  53.  —  "They  haATe  cut  off  my  life  in  the  dungeon." 
Psalm  105  :  8.—  "  Whose  feet  they  hurt  with  fetters ;  he  was  laid  in  iron." 

"  Words  are  powerless  to-day.  They  entirely  fail  to  ut 
ter  the  deep  emotions  which  swell  every  bosom.  A  deed  has 
been  done  which  covers  Maryland  with  indelible  disgrace ; 
a  deed  which  ought  to  shroud  Massachusetts  in  mourning  and 
the  whole  land  in  gloom.  Torrey  is  no  more !  The  cruel 
murder  of  a  righteous  man,  for  acts  of  mercy,  has  been  con 
summated  by  the  slow  torture  of  confinement  in  the  prison  of 
one  of  the  sovereign  States  of  Christian  America. 

"  Slavery  enjoys  another  triumph.  Every  true-hearted 
friend  of  human  liberty  throughout  the  world  will  weep ;  and 
with  united  voice  exclaim,  '  Wo,  wo  to  the  hand  that  shed  this 
costly  blood.'  I  have  said  the  lamented,  early-wept  Torrey 
is  no  more.  His  mortal  remains  lie  indeed  beneath  you  ;  but 
he  has  just  begun  to  live.  I  say  this,  not  only  in  reference 
to  that  happy  immortality  to  which  his  soaring  spirit  has  been 
made  thrice  welcome ;  but  I  say  it  in  reference  to  what  he 
will  be  and  do  on  the  earth.  When  a  single  event  in  the  life 
of  an  individual  stands  prominent  and  alone,  as  th-c  one  thing 
by  which  he  is  chiefly  known  ;  when  thousands  know  him  by 
this  one  act,  there  arises  at  once  an  interest  and  anxiety  to 
know  if  all  parts  of  the  character  shall  correspond  to  what  is 
known  ;  if  the  admiration  excited,  will  be  sustained  by  an  in 
timate  acquaintance  with  the  whole  character. 

"  There  is  grandeur  in  a  solitary  mountain ;  but  the  sus 
tained  feeling  of  sublimity  can  only  rest  upon  the  rolling 
ridges  that  stretch  away  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  We  ad 
mire  a  single  noble  act ;  but  who  does  not  rejoice  to  see  it 
surrounded  by  groups  of  noble  principles  and  lofty  achieve 
ments  ? 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  FUNERAL  SERMON.      301 

"  With  what  anxiety,  then,  do  we  approach  to  uncover  the 
face  of  the  illustrious  dead ;  to  read  the  history  which  we  long 
to  know,  and  yet  which  we  almost  dread  to  trace.  It  was 
with  something  of  this  feeling,  I  frankly  confess,  I  began  to 
open  the  papers  of  our  lamented  friend.  Thank  God,  though 
his  life  has  been  taken,  his  character  and  reputation  are  safe* 
Truth  will  now  gush  forth  from  pure  fountains,  and  wash 
away  the  spots  that  the  malicious  and  the  thoughtless  have; 
attempted  to  fasten  upon  his  character. 

'  We  tell  thy  doom  without  a  sigh, 
For  thou  art  freedom's  now,  and  fame's  ; 
One  of  the  few  immortal  names 
That  were  not  born  to  die.' 

"  Those  who  choose  may  echo,  '  the  slaves  stolen  by  Tor 
rey/  but  they  will  never  produce  the  conviction,  on  the 
minds  of  this  or  any  future  age,  that  Mr.  Torrey  was  a  thief. 
You  may  shut  his  body  out  of  your  sanctuary,*  but  you  can 
not  exclude  his  spirit  from  the  upper  sanctuary.  The  impar 
tial  verdict  of  this  and  future  ages  will  be,  '  Mr.  Torrey  wa& 
cruelly  murdered  for  a  righteous  act,  to  glut  the  vengeance  of 
slaveholders  and  uphold  the  darling  institution  of  slavery.' 

"  The  sentence  of  the  court  of  Maryland  has  already  been 
repealed  in  that  higher  and  impartial  court,  where  human  ac 
tions  are  rightly  weighed.  Every  spot  upon  his  reputation, 
here,  for  acts  of  mercy  to  the  oppressed,  has  become  a  bright 
and  shining  star  in  his  diadem  of  glory  there.  Nor  will  the 
honor  you  do  him,  rest  upon  the  momentary  excitement  of 
the  present  occasion.  While  genius,  energy  and  courage,, 
robed  in  the  milder  virtues  of  piety  and  benevolence,  shall  be 
admired,  the  name  of  Torrey  will  be  honored. 

"  I  never  blamed  him  for  the  attempt  to  escape  from  jail, 
but  only  that  there  was  not  sufficient  care  to  make  it  success- 

*  Park  Street  church  was  refused  after  it  had  once  been  granted  for 
the  funeral ! 

26 


302  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

ful.  Let  those  who  censure  Mr.  Torrey,  put  themselves  in 
his  condition.  Conscious  of  no  crime  ;  the  recording  angel 
had  already  written  over  against  the  acts  of  mercy  of  which 
he  was  accused  :  '  he  shall  be  recompensed  at  the  resurrection 
of  the  just.'  His  enemies  were  many,  and  they  were  strong. 
He  must  be  tried  by  a  wicked  law,  before  a  slaveholding  court 
and  jury,  with  parties  arrayed  against  him  ready  to  prove 
anything  necessary  for  his  conviction  ;  was  it  wrong  for  him 
to  escape  as  a  bird  from  the  hand  of  the  fowler  ?  Let  those 
who  think  so,  condemn  our  ancestors,  who  often  escaped  from 
captivity  among  the  Indian  tribes  ;  for  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say 
that  the  ancient  Delawares,  that  trod  the  shores  of  the  Chesa 
peake,  were  angels  of  mercy  compared  to  the  present  genera 
tion  of  slaveholders  in  Maryland.  Let  them  keep  a  part  of 
their  indignation  for  the  captives  who  have  escaped  from  Al- 
gerine  bondage,  and  for  Paul  the  apostle,  who  was  let  down, 
in  a  basket,  through  a  window,  that  he  might  escape. 

"But  Mr.  Torrey  was  imprisoned  according  to  law ;  and 
respect  for  the  laws  of  the  land  should  have  kept  him  from 
the  unlawful  mode  of  escape.  He  may  have  erred ;  but  he 
had  a  most  illustrious  example,  in  the  case  of  his  apostolic  type 
— the  bold,  the  ardent,  and,  if  you  insist  upon  it,  the  rash  Si 
mon  Peter  was  once  in  prison  by  command  of  the  king ;  and 
an  angel  was  sent,  all  the  way  from  heaven,  to  slip  the  bolts, 
open  the  doors,  and  let  him  out.  When  the  crier  calls  the  court 
for  the  trial  of  Peter  and  the  angel,  the  friends  of  Mr.  Tor 
rey  will  be  there  to  answer  for  him. 

"  But  most  bitterly  did  he  atone  for  this  attempt  to  break 
jail.  For  twelve  days  his  '  feet  were  hurt  with  fetters ;  he 
was  laid  in  iron,'  irons  that  weighed  twenty-five  pounds. 
His  situation  at  this  time  beggars  all  description.  Surrounded 
by  persecutors,  bitter  and  cruel,  betrayed  by  one  of  the  inmates 
of  the  prison,  sick,  heavily  ironed,  there  was  but  one  angel  of 
mercy,  save  myriads  of  the  unseen,  around  him.  That  minister 
of  kindness  was  John  Stewart,  an  Irishman.  l  But  for  him,' 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  FUNERAL  SERMON.      303 

says  Mr.  Torrey,  *  1  should  not  have  survived  those  twelve  days 
of  the  reign  of  terror  and  cruelty.'  It  may  well  be  supposed  that 
such  facts  as  I  have  narrated,  known  and  published  abroad, 
excited  no  small  interest  in  his  behalf.  Yet  from  the  point  of 
view  we  now  look  at  it,  we  marvel  at  the  cold  hearted  indif 
ference  and  want  of  interest  in  his  fate.  To  the  honor  of  a 
few;  I  believe  it  is  no  injustice  to  say  that  it  was  mostly  con 
fined  to  those  technically  called  abolitionists,  money  was  freely 
contributed,  able  counsel  was  employed  to  do  all  that  might  be 
done,  to  rescue  him  from  the  unjust  sufferings  to  which  he  was 
exposed.  From  the  day  of  his  arrest  to  that  of  his  death,  a 
few  friends  did  all  they  could  for  his  relief.  An  effort  to  bail 
him  out  of  the  loathsome  jail  in  Baltimore,  during  the  long 
and  sultry  days  of  summer,  was  not  successful.  The  weary 
months  wore  round,  that  brought  him  before  the  court  of  Ma 
ryland  for  trial.  False  witnesses  were  not  wanting  before  the 
jury.  They  swore  in  many  instances,  perhaps,  to  what  was 
true,  but  they  did  not  know  it  to  be  true.  The  court,  with 
their  prejudices  against  Mr.  Torrey,  were  perhaps  as  impar 
tial  as  you  could  expect.  The  prosecuting  officer  was  rather 
magnanimous  than  overbearing.  But  there  was  the  consent  of 
these  judges  to  the  execution  of  a  wicked  law — the  aid  of  this 
State's  attorney  in  the  conviction  and  punishment  of  an  inno 
cent  man.  Rather  than  partake  in  such  a  crime,  they  should 
have  vacated  their  seats  and  offices  forever. 

"  But  what  shall  I  say  of  his  own  counsel,  the  Hon.  Re- 
verdy  Johnson  ?  I  thank  him  for  his  generosity,  but  I  do 
not  thank  him  for  his  fatal  admission  in  the  very  exordium  of 
his  argument.  At  the  close  of  a  touching  allusion  to  his  wife, 
then  present  in  court,  he  said,  '  she  has  come  to  witness  the 
probable  adverse  termination  of  this  trial.'  He  repeated  this 
admission  by  an  allusion  to  his  imprisonment,  and  the  long 
years  of  lonely  separation  that  must  follow.  This,  in  my 
opinion,  was  a  wrong  and  fatal  admission.  It  was,  in  fact, 
giving  the  whole  case  over  into  the  hands  of  the  prosecutors. 


304  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

Mr.  Torrey  must  have  felt  it  as  cutting  the  last  straw  of  hope 
left  him. 

"  Such  a  feeble  effort  for  the  delivery  of  an  innocent  man, 
contrasts  sadly  with  the  almost  superhuman  efforts  of  eminent 
counsel,  often,  to  deliver  men  whose  hands  are  red  with  blood. 
The  jury  were  out  only  twenty  minutes,  and  brought  in  a 
verdict  of  guilty.  *  * 

"  Thus  lived,  and  thus  died  in  the  thirty-third  year  of  his 
age,  the  young,  ardent,  and  self-devoted  Torrey.  Is  not  the 
simple  story  of  his  life,  the  most  triumphant  vindication  of  his 
character  ? 

'"But  he  was  rash — had  faults,  and  great  ones,'  say  his 
enemies ;  admitted ;  what  then  ?  Can  you  put  your  finger  on 
one  bold  and  fearless  man,  more  governed  by  his  own  un 
doubted  convictions  than  by  popular  feeling,  who  has  not 
faults,  and  great  faults  too  ?  And  yet  there  will  be  '  carrion 
heaths,'  as  Carlyle  would  call  them — ignorant  or  hard-hearted 
men,  who  will  have  no  other  balm  for  these  wounded  hearts, 
than  the  sneering  cry,  *  Died  Torrey  as  the  fool  dieth.'  I 
tell  you  nay,  his  life  was  not  thrown  away.  Estimate  the 
priceless  value  of  personal,  social  and  religious  liberty  to  some 
hundreds  of  slaves,  emancipated  by  his  instrumentality — to 
them  and  their  posterity,  and  is  it  not  worth  one  life  ?  I  say 
it  here,  I  say  it  everywhere,  from  the  side  of  every  martyr's 
grave-stone,  in  the  old  world  and  the  new;  I  whisper  it 
in  the  ear  of  the  master,  I  proclaim  it  aloud  in  the  ear  of  the 
slave, — the  proper  price  of  one  man's  liberty,  is  one  man's 
life.  No  man  ought  ever  to  consent  to  be  a  slave.  No 
man  ought  to  consent  to  be  the  father  of  a  slave;  and 
no  woman  should  ever  press  a  slave  child  to  the  sacred  foun 
tain  of  life.  God  gave  her  an  immortal  spirit,  to  be  nurtured 
as  from  her  own  life  ;  and  will  she  receive  a  chattel,  a  thing, 
from  the  hands  of  a  master  ?  And  if  any  of  the  race  of  Adam 
have  fallen  so  low,  that  they  prize  life  more  than  liberty,  they 
need  redemption  ;  nothing  but  vicarious  suffering,  even  to 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  FUNERAL  SERMON.      305 

death — nothing  but  the  groans  and  grave-stones  of  martyrs, 
will  awaken  such  to  gird  on  the  armor  of  their  manhood  and 
show  themselves  men. 

"  '  Hereby  perceive  we  the  love  of  God,  because  he  laid 
down  his  life  for  us ;  and  we  ought  to  lay  down  our  lives  for 
the  brethren'  Where,  and  when,  if  not  for  our  brethren 
among  the  slaves  of  the  South  ;  yea,  for  the  entire  mass  of 
the  slaves  ;  and  the  lower  their  degradation,  the  louder  is  the 
call  for  redemption.  And  from  the  prison-tomb,  where  Torrey 
died,  an  earthquake-voice  will  go  forth,  which  will  shake  all 
the  wide  domain  of  slavery ;  and  many  of  the  saints  that  are 
in  the  grave  of  liberty,  will  come  forth  and  be  free.  His 
death  will  be  the  beginning  of  the  Hegira  of  the  slave. 

"Already  I  see  them,  in  scores  and  by  hundreds,  crossing 
the  long  line  of  border,  and  treading  with  new  and  wonder 
ing  emotions,  a  soil  partially  free — the  transition  strata  be 
tween  bondage  and  freedom.  Elastic  youth  and  grey-haired 
age  wake  at  the  first  plaintive  call  of  the  fugitive — horses  of 
all  colors,  and  vehicles  of  all  descriptions,  are  harnessed  to 
facilitate  their  march ;  when  the  stars  fail,  lamps  and  torches 
supply  their  places,  and  the  wondering  traveller  upon  the 
lake  exclaims,  as  he  sees  them  rushing  to  its  shores,  *  who 
are  these  that  fly  as  clouds  and  as  doves  to  their  windows  ?' — 
all  along  these  hidden  ways  cast  up  for  the  ransomed  to  re 
turn — ways,  which  the  vulture  eye  of  Slavery  cannot  find  ! 
The  watchword  is,  '  Torrey  and  Liberty  !' 

"  The  life  and  death  of  Mr.  Torrey  will  convince  thou 
sands,  simply  by  drawing  attention  to  the  subject  and  securing 
its  discussion — of  the  righteousness  and  expediency  of  direct 
efforts  to  assist  the  slaves,  individually,  to  their  freedom.  So 
far  from  having  gone  beyond  the  limits  of  a  strict  morality* 
in  what  he  did  to  assist  the  slave  in  his  escape,  he  has  left  a 
wide  margin  to  be  trodden  by  those  made  bolder  by  his  ex 
ample.  The  truth  has  yet  to  be  preached  to  the  slaves,  at 
the  peril  of  life,  if  need  be,  that  they  do  a  great  wrong  every 
26* 


306  MEMOIR  OF   TORREY. 

day  they  consent  to  labor  without  wages — that  every  slave, 
properly  enlightened,  who  yields  for  a  moment  to  have  his 
family  ties  sundered,  is  a  sinner  before  God — that  the  father 
and  husband  who  will  not  protect,  resisting  even  to  blood,  the 
innocence  of  his  own  family,  is  worthy  to  be  neither  a  father 
nor  a  husband.  In  short,  the  duty  of  the  slave  to  himself 
and  his  family,  to  the  nation  and  posterity,  is  to  be  fully  pro 
claimed — and  over  all  the  plantations  of  the  south,  the  slaves 
should  come  out  from  their  woods,  stand  in  the  highway  of 
the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  and  '  call  no  man  mas 
ter  upon  the  earth.'  There  is  but  one  Sovereign  of  the  hu 
man  will,  and  He  is  in  Heaven.  The  Bible  abounds  with  ap 
propriate  texts  for  such  preaching,  which  is  according  to 
sound  doctrine,  and  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God. 
'  Fear  not  them  that  kill  the  body,  but  after  that  have  no  more 
that  they  can  do  !'  In  our  sickly  sentimentalism  about  hu 
man  life,  at  the  present  day,  we  seem  to  think  that  there  is 
but  one  life — and  that  of  the  body — the  higher,  better,  im 
mortal  life  of  the  soul,  is  put  out,  like  lamps,  in  the  death 
caverns  beneath  the  earth.  If  it  were  necessary  for  every 
slave  father  in  the  south  to  come  forward  and  offer  himself  a 
sacrifice  for  the  redemption  of  his  children  and  posterity, 
I  know  of  no  higher  duty,  of  no  more  acceptable  sacrifice. 
Shall  a  man  consent  to  have  the  bright  image  of  his  God 
erased  from  his  soul — his  volition  destroyed — the  children  of 
his  own  body,  the  wife  of  his  bosom,  brutalized  before  his 
eyes,  rather  than  die  ?  Nay,  must  he  himself  consent  to  the 
violation  of  every  command  in  the  decalogue,  for  the  sake  of 
life  ?  I  hope  and  trust  the  life  and  death  of  Mr.  Torrey  will 
awaken  the  nation  to  a  reconsideration  of  these  truths — truths 
once  written  in  the  blood  of  our  fathers,  and  on  the  grave 
stones  of  the  early  emigrants  to  Plymouth  rock.  Mr.  Tor 
rey  has  showed  us  again,  that  there  is  something  worth  dying 
for,  besides  the  possibility  of  gaining  wealth  in  deadly  climes, 
or  the  vain  glare  of  military  glory. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  FUNERAL  SERMON.  307 

"  Yet  I  would  not  be  too  sanguine  in  estimating  the  proba 
ble  influence  of  his  example  and  death.  I  remember  that 
South  Carolina  treads  on  the  necks  of  your  free  citizens,  im 
prisons  them  against  the  express  provision  of  the  Constitu 
tion  of  the  United  States,  and  spurns  your  ambassador  from 
her  borders  with  contempt.  Slavery  robs  a  weak  and  peace 
able  nation  of  territory,  and  then  provokes  and  makes  a  war, 
without  the  action  of  Congress,  to  wash  out  her  own  crime 
in  the  blood  of  the  innocent.  Slavery  tramples  upon  the  first 
principle  of  Protestantism,  and  denies  the  word  of  God  to  the 
common  people  ;  hurls  from  her  borders,  or  grinds  to  powder, 
the  materials  of  five  or  six  printing  presses ;  murders  their 
peaceful  owners  ;  comes  into  the  free  states,  and  captures  free 
white  citizens,  and  drags  them  to  a  foreign  tribunal  for  trial 
— denies  the  hospitality  of  the  most  barbarous  nations  on 
earth,  and  demands  that  the  victims  of  providence — the  wan 
derers  of  the  Amistad  shall  be  given  over  to  bondage  or 
death ;  and  yet  the  nation  is  not  aroused ;  even  Massachu 
setts  is  not  prepared  to  say — she  will  seek  the  destruction  of 
slavery. 

"  "Well,  slavery  has  filled  the  cup  of  outrage  and  insult  for 
you,  to  overflowing.  She  has  taken  the  priest  from  the  altar 
— the  father  and  the  husband,  and  after  months  of  slow  tor 
ture — the  most  excruciating  a  mind  like  his  could  feel, —  his 
lips  sealed  during  the  day — a  dark  and  cheerless  cell  at  night 
— during  the  lonely  long  evening,  not  an  inch  of  candle  to 
shine  upon  the  page  of  God's  loved  word  !  After  months  of 
such  torture  as  this,  slavery  has  murdered  the  young,  vigor 
ous,  social,  talented,  and  pious  Torrey  !  Now,  either  shed  no 
tear  on  that  early  grave,  or  write  there  the  vow  of  Hannibal 
— eternal  war  against  slavery  !  That  decision  which  shall 
arrest  the  tide  of  oppression,  or  decide  the  question  whether 
the  free  States  shall  be  dragged  down  into  that  abyss  to 
which  slavery  seems  determined  to  plunge  us,  must  be  made 
in  Massachusetts.  The  question  is  soon  to  be  decided,  wheth- 


308  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

er  this  shall  be  a  land  of  slavery  or  a  land  of  freedom! — and 
that  question  rests  in  no  small  degree  upon  the  action  of  this 
State.  In  the  language  of  another  :  *  As  far  as  the  interests 
of  freedom  are  concerned,  the  most  important  of  sublu 
nary  interests,  you  stand  in  no  small  degree — the  federal  rep 
resentatives  of  the  human  race.  If  Liberty,  after  being 
extinguished  in  the  old  world,  is  suffered  to  expire  here, 
whence  is  it  ever  to  emerge  in  that  thick  night  that  will  in 
vest  it?  It  remains  then  for  you  to  decide,  whether  that 
freedom,  at  whose  voice  the  kingdoms  of  Europe  awake  as 
from  the  sleep  of  ages,  to  run  a  career  of  virtuous  emulation 
in  every  thing  great  and  good ;  the  freedom  which  dispelled 
the  mists  of  superstition,  and  invited  the  nations  to  behold 
their  God ;  whose  magic  touch  kindled  the  rays  of  genius, 
the  enthusiasm  of  poetry,  and  the  flame  of  eloquence  ;  the  free 
dom  which  has  poured  into  our  lap,  opulence  and  arts,  and 
embelished  life  with  innumerable  institutions  and  improve 
ments,  till  it  became  a  theatre  of  wonders  ; — it  is  for  you  to 
decide,  whether  this  freedom  shall  survive,  or  be  covered  with 
a  funeral  pall  and  wrapt  in  eternal  gloom  !" 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

SKETCHES  OF  MR.  TORREY. RESOLUTIONS  OF  PUBLIC 

BODIES. VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS. POETRY. 

Remarks  of  II  B.  Stanton,  Esq.,  at  Fanueil  Hall,  the  evening 
after  the  Burial  of  Mr.  Torrey. 

"  Mr.  President, — We  have  met  to  praise  Torrey,  not  to 
bury  him. 

"  That  manly  and  elastic  form — that  glowing  eye — those 
eloquent  lips — that  lion  heart — all  that  was  mortal  of  our 


COMMEMORATION  MEETING. 

martyred  brother,  has  been  borne  to  the  grave,  by  those  who 
dwell  with  melancholy  pleasure  upon  the  rare  virtues  and 
noble  achievements  which  have  made  his  life  useful,  and  his 
death  calm  and  glorious. 

"  And  who,  it  may  be  asked,  was  Charles  T.  Torrey,  that 
we  should  praise  him  ?  Why  should  this  assembly  of  Chris 
tian  citizens  meet  in  this  hallowed  hall,  to  honor  one  who  was 
convicted  as  a  felon,  and  died  in  the  penitentiary  ? 

"  Let  it  be  answered,  that  though  he  was  convicted  of  hav 
ing  violated  the  laws  of  a  republican  State,  he  was  not  found 
guilty  of  violating  any  of  the  statutes  of  the  Law-giver  of 
the  universe.  Though  he  died  in  a  penitentiary,  he  was  not 
a  felon  before  God.  Though  the  court  which  convicted  him, 
would  not  recommend  him  to  mercy,  nor  the  chief  magis 
trate  of  the  State  grant  him  an  executive  pardon,  yet  ere 
this,  we  cannot  doubt,  that  before  the  tribunal  of  Heaven,  and 
in  the  presence  of  serried  ranks  of  angels  and  the  spirits  of 
just  men  made  perfect,  the  Sovereign  of  worlds  has  greeted 
him  with  '  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  into 
the  joy  of  thy  Lord.' 

"  Then,  in  honoring  him,  we  honor  ourselves.  In  applau 
ding  his  deeds,  we  but  render  a  tribute  to  the  worth  of  a  rare 
ornament  of  our  common  humanity. 

"  But,  am  I  right  ?  Was  the  deed  for  which  he  was  con 
demned  and  which  cost  him  his  life,  approved  of  Heaven  ? 

"  So  long  as  it  remains  true,  that  the  Savior  came  to 
preach  deliverance  to  the  captive  and  the  opening  of  the  pris 
on  to  the  bound ;  to  break  every  yoke  and  let  the  oppressed 
go  free ;  so  long  will  it  be  true,  that  Torrey  was  sacrificed  and 
murdered  for  following  in  the  footsteps  of  the  Divine 
Exemplar. 

"  But  the  voice  of  eulogy  is  attempted  to  be  clamored 
down,  by  the  cry  that  he  had  violated  the  laws  of  a  sovereign 
State,  and  was  therefore  properly  convicted  and  punished  as 
a  felon. 


310  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

"  This  cold  and  cruel  cavil  deserves  a  more  elaborate  an 
swer  than  the  present  occasion  will  allow.  A  rapid  glance 
will  disclose  the  weakness  of  its  foundation. 

"Mr.  Torrey  was  tried  and  condemned  under  certain 
statutes  of  Maryland,  for  assisting  slaves  to  escape  out  of 
that  State  and  beyond  the  reach  of  the  laws  which  en 
slaved  them.  The  act  was  done,  (if  at  all,)  without  vio 
lence,  and  in  contravention  of  no  other  statute  of  that 
State.  Now,  sir,  the  laws  under  which  he  was  condemned, 
have  no  binding  force,  because  slavery  has  no  constitutional 
existnece  in  Maryland.  The  bill  of  rights,  and  constitution, 
both  of  Maryland  and  Massachusetts,  recognize  and  declare 
the  equality  of  man,  and  the  inalienability  of  his  right  to 
liberty.  Slavery  existed  in  this  commonwealth  at  the  time  of 
the  adoption  of  our  constitution.  Soon  after  the  ratification 
of  that  instrument,  a  slave  sued  for  his  freedom  in  our  Su 
preme  Judicial  Court,  On  solemn  deliberation,  the  judges 
decreed  that  the  clause  in  our  organic  law  to  which  I  have  al 
luded,  abolished  slavery ;  and  from  that  hour  slavery  ceased 
to  exist  in  Massachusetts.  This  is  sound  law,  not  only  here, 
but  in  all  places  where  the  equality  of  mankind  and  the  in 
herent  rights  of  human  nature,  are  affirmed  in  any  instru 
ment,  or  recognized  in  any  usage,  having  the  force  of  law.  It 
is  a  part  of  the  Common  law — the  birth-right  charter  of  ev 
ery  member  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  family.  It  is  law  in  Mary 
land,  binding  upon  its  law-givers,  its  courts,  and  its  people  ; 
and  by  force  of  its  provisions,  slavery,  with  all  its  concomi 
tants  and  adjuncts,  has  no  real  existence  there.  Then,  in  the 
act  for  which  he  was  condemned,  Torrey  broke  no  law  which 
had  not  itself  previously  been  shivered  to  atoms  by  the  weight 
of  superior  authority. 

"  But  I  assume  higher  ground.  It  is  impossible  to  give 
any  binding  force  to  statutes  which  make  one  man  the  prop 
erty  of  another.  They  are  null  and  void  from  their  own  in 
herent  injustice.  No  legislature  has  a  right  to  enact  them, 


COMMEMORATION  MEETING.  311 

no  court  the  right  to  enforce  them.  Every  step  taken  in  their 
inception  is  illegal ;  every  attempt  to  execute  their  precepts 
or  inflict  their  penalties,  are  outrages  on  justice,  and  binding 
upon  no  man.  To  this  point  I  cite  the  opinion  of  one  of  the 
most  eminent  lawyers  and  civilians  of  modern  times,  Henry 
Brougham.  In  1830,  on  the  floor  of  the  House  of  Commons, 
and  just  previous  to  his  taking  the  Great  Seal,  while  discuss 
ing  the  rights  of  the  slaveholder  and  the  binding  force  of 
slave  laws,  he  uttered  the  following  sentiments,  worthy,  from 
their  stern  justice,  lofty  humanity  and  glowing  style,  to  be  the 
epitaph  on  the  tomb  of  this  illustrious  friend  of  human  liberty. 

'  Tell  me  not  of  rights, — talk  not  of  the  property  of  the 
planter  in  his  slaves.  I  deny  the  right — I  acknowledge  not 
the  property.  The  principles,  the  feelings  of  our  common  na 
ture,  rise  in  rebellion  against  it.  Be  the  appeal  made  to  the 
understanding  or  to  the  heart,  the  sentence  is  the  same  that 
rejects  it.  In  vain  you  tell  me  of  laws  that  sanction  such  a 
claim  !  There  is  a  law  above  all  the  enactments  of  human 
codes,  the  same  throughout  the  world — the  same  in  all  times 
— such  as  it  was  before  the  daring  genius  of  Columbus  pierced 
the  night  of  ages,  and  opened  to  one  world  the  sources  of 
power,  wealth  and  knowledge ;  to  another,  all  unutterable 
woes  ; — such  as  it  is  at  this  day — it  is  the  law  written  by  the 
finger  of  God  on  the  heart  of  man,  and  by  that  law,  unchange 
able  and  eternal,  while  men  despise  fraud,  and  loathe  rapine, 
and  abhor  blood,  they  will  reject  with  indignation  the  wild 
and  guilty  phantasy,  that  man  can  hold  property  in  man  P 

"•But  I  quote  infinitely  higher  authority  than  this.  It 
was  enacted  by  the  divine  Legislator,  eighteen  hundred  years 
ago,  that  '  whatever  we  would  that  men  should  do  unto  us, 
that  ought  we  to  do  unto  them.'  And  by  this  law,  binding  on 
all  men  through  all  time,  Torrey  stands  acquitted  and  ap 
plauded,  to-night,  before  the  bar  of  the  Infinite  Judge. 

"  A  deed  of  dreadful  note  has  been  done.  A  minister  of  the 
gospel  has  died  under  circumstances  which  have  seized  and 


312  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

tenaciously  hold  the  public  attention.  Large  and  influential 
classes  of  men  are  in  doubt  by  what  name  this  death  should 
be  known ;  whether  it  be  a  personal  calamity,  a  righteous 
retribution,  or  a  legalized  murder ;  whether  the  victim  should 
be  pitied,  abhorred,  or  reverenced.  The  reputation  of  the  de 
ceased,  no  less  than  that  of  those  who  took  his  life — the  repu 
tation  of  the  sovereign  State  which  sacrificed  him,  and  of  the 
nation  which  looked  silently  on,  demand  that  these  doubts  be 
resolved.  This  deed  was  not  done  in  a  corner ;  nor  can  the 
parties  concerned,  escape  either  the  scrutiny  or  the  verdict 
of  mankind. 

"  What,  then,  was  the  act  for  which  Torrey  suffered  and 
died  ?  Stated  in  the  simplest  form,  and  stripped  of  all  ex 
trinsic  ornament,  it  was  this : — He  aided  oppressed  men 
peaceably  to  cast  away  their  chains — he  gave  liberty  to  men 
unjustly  held  in  bondage. 

"  What  act,  I  ask,  is  more  universally  applauded  than  this  ? 
Human  nature,  from  the  dawn  of  creation  till  the  present  hour, 
has  acclaimed  it.  In  all  ages,  and  among  all  nations,  the  deeds 
of  the  liberator  have  given  inspiration  to  the  poet  and  fervor 
to  the  orator,  and  his  memory  has  been  held  in  peculiar  reve 
rence.  The  refined  pagans  of  Greece  and  Rome  exalted  him 
among  their  gods ;  the  superstitious  nations  of  the  middle  ages 
made  him  their  titular  saint- — while  Christian  States,  in  mod 
ern  times,  have  showered  wreaths  upon  him  when  living, 
and  built  monuments  to  his  memory  when  dead.  This  unani 
mous  verdict  of  mankind  is  recorded  on  every  page  of  the 
world's  history.  It  is  this  which  covers  with  unfading  lustre 
such  names  as  Washington,  Wallace,  La  Fayette,  Kosciusco, 
Bolivar,  Howard,  and  Wilberforce.  And  if  the  voice  of  his 
tory  utters  but  one  truth,  it  is  this — that  all  who  have  become 
martyrs  to  principle  in  great  struggles  for  the  rights  of  man, 
have  been  held  in  undying  remembrance  by  a  grateful  pos 
terity. 

"  To  this,  and  this  alone,  are  such  men  as  Russell,  Hamp- 


SKETCHES  OF  MR.  TORREY.  313 

den,  and  Sydney  indebted  for  their  immortal  fame.  It  is  this 
which  makes  the  bare  mention  of  such  names  give  a  heartier 
throb  through  the  veins  of  freedom ;  and  now,  as  of  yore,  on 
every  stricken  field  where  the  oppressed  rise  against  the  op 
pressor,  they  are  the  watchwords  of  the  struggling  bondmen^ 
the  very  synonymes  of  liberty. 

"I  need  to  beg  pardon  for  uttering  truths  so  trite — words 
so  often  the  mere  catch-phrases  of  the  canting  demagogue  in 
his  partisan  harangue,  the  very  froth  of  our  fourth  of  July 
orations.  But  they  are  truths  not  the  less  because  they  are 
the  common  staple  of  the  political  hypocrite  and  the  vapid  de- 
claimer.  And,  being  truths,  they  vindicate  the  deeds  and  the 
character  of  Torrey.  He  has  done  something  for  liberty,  and 
his  name  deserves  a  place  in  the  calendar  of  its  martyrs.  Now 
that  he  is  laid  quietly  and  securely  in  his  grave,  we  may  safely 
publish  those  acts  to  the  world  which,  while  he  lived,  could 
be  safely  known  only  to  the  few.  In  a  letter  addressed  to  me 
while  he  was  in  prison  awaiting  his  trial,  he  said,  '  If  1  am 
a  guilty  man,  lam  a  very  guilty  one;  for  I  have  aided  nearly 
FOUR  HUNDRED  slaves  to  escape  to  freedom,  the  greater  part 
of  whom  would  probably,  but  for  my  exertions,  have  died  in 
slavery."  (Prolonged  and  intense  applause.) 


SKETCH  OF  MR,  TORREY. 

The  following  sketch  of  the  character  of  Mr.  Torrey  is 
from  the  pen  of  a  clergyman,  of  great  ability,  and  was  origi 
nally  published  in  the  True  American,  of  Courtland  County, 
New  York  : 

"  Mr.  Editor, — <  Torrey  is  dead  !'  I  am  not  telling  either 
you,  or  your  readers  any  news.  The  sad  intelligence  has  al 
ready  reverberated  from  cell  to  cell  in  a  southern  penitentiary, 
and  been  wafted  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind  to  the  palace 
and  the  cottage  of  both  the  north  and  the  south.  But  this 
27 


314  MEMOIR  OF  TORHET. 

annunciation  should  now  be  a  motto  for  the  reflection  of  ev 
ery  American  citizen. 

"  I  knew  him  well.  He  pursued  his  theological  course 
within  seven  miles  of  my  former  residence  ;  and  I  frequent 
ly  saw  him  in  the  study,  and  at  the  table  of  his  wife's  father. 
His  then  youthful  character  was  without  a  blemish.  Though 
his  judgment  was  far  from  being  matured  ;  yet,  at  that  early 
day,  he  possessed  a  mind  of  superior  order.  Active,  vigor 
ous,  energetic,  his  soul  could  no  more  be  quiet  or  indolent, 
than  matter  can  be  the  efficient  cause  of  its  own  motion  or 
momentum.  He  sought  and  acquired  knowledge  with  facility. 
His  gathering  up  of  facts  seems  to  be  as  natural,  and  almost 
as  much  a  matter  of  course,  as  the  taking  of  his  daily  food; 
and  what  he  collected,  he  retained  in  his  mental  store-house, 
there  treasured  and  systematised  for  subsequent  use.  This 
will  account  for  those  exquisitely  beautiful  and  accurately 
graphic  narratives,  which  he  sent  forth  to  the  public  from  the 
cells  of  his  prison,  and  which  must  have  been  compiled  chief 
ly,  if  not  entirely,  from  his  own  recollection. 

"  Mr.  Torrey's  theological  system  was  thorough  and  ac 
curate  ;  for  he  not  only  possessed  a  mind  to  investigate,  but 
was  furnished  with  one  of  the  most  adequate  instructors  in. 
the  New  England  ministry.  In  his  preparatory  studies,  he 
became  fixed  in  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  gospel,  by 
which  he  was  guided  in  the  path  of  active  benevolence. 
Hence,  when  he  entered  the  ministry,  he  not  only  believed 
but  preached  the  doctrine  of  disinterested  love ;  and  the  re 
sult  of  his  eventful  life  has  proved  that  he  practised  as  well 
as,  preached.  On  this  great  subject,  his  actions  spoke  louder 
than  his  words  ;  and  now  he  is  dead,  he  continues  to  speak. 

"  Such  a  mind  as  Torrey's,  unrestrained  by  divine  grace, 
and  unrenewed  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  must  have  been  wayward, 
fit  for  '  treason,  stratagems  and  spoils.'  But,  being  brought 
under  the  controling  influence  of  the  gospel,  and  having  the 
love  of  Christ  shed  abroad  in  his  heart ;  he  was  eminently 


SKETCHES  OF  MR.  TORREY.  315 

fitted  for  energetic  and  persevering  action  in  the  cause  of  be 
nevolence  and  humanity.  Hence,  at  almost  the  commence 
ment  of  the  anti-slavery  enterprise  in  Massachusetts,  he  was 
found  among  its  most  active  and  efficient  advocates.  His 
zeal  and  activity  in  this  holy  cause,  never  diminished,  but 
continued  to  increase  with  his  growing  knowledge  and  obser 
vation  of  human  wo.  He  has  proved,  in  the  face  of  the 
world,  that  he  loved  the  slave  as  a  brother.  For  the  benefit 
of  the  slave,  he  devoted  his  time,  his  energies,  and  sacrificed 
both  his  popularity  and  fairest  worldly  prospects.  For  the 
benefit  of  the  slave,  he  relinquished  the  sweetest  and  most  en 
dearing  enjoyments  of  the  domestic  circle.  For  the  benefit 
of  the  slave  he  wore  out  the  springs  of  his  physical  constitu 
tion.  For  the  benefit  of  the  slave,  he  laid  even  his  life  itself 
upon  the  altar ! 

"  Such  a  man,  and  much  more  than  I  have  described,  was 
Rev.  Charles  Turner  Torrey.  But,  <  Torrey  is  dead?  For 
whom  did  he  die  ?  He  died  for  the  slave  !  Of  what  dis 
ease  did  he  die  ?  He  died  of  a  disease  induced  by  the  iron 
elog,  the  murky  dungeon,  and  a  subsequent  incarceration 
among  felons  of  a  penitentiary.  Where  did  he  die  ?  Within 
the  precincts  of  pirates,  man-stealers,  and  those  who  are  con 
stantly  imbruting  God's  image. 

"  TORREY  is  murdered,  for  aiding  a  fugitive  from  slavery ; 
and  BAKER  is  pardoned  for  piracy,  man-stealing,  kidnapping, 
or  reducing  a  fellow  man  to  the  most  cruel  and  helpless  thral 
dom.  These  infamous  and  contradictory  deeds  will  forever 
prove  an  indelible  and  damning  blot  upon  Maryland's  his 
tory  and  her  executive's  biography. 

"  It  is  scarcely  needful  to  add,  that  Mr.  Torrey  had  been 
guilty  of  no  crime.  This  is  known  to  the  citizens  of  Maryland 
and  Gov.  Pratt.  They  knew  that  the  victim  of  their  cruelty 
and  vengeance  acted  only  in  obedience  to  the  law  of  God, 
and  our  Savior's  'golden  rule.'  They  know,  that  had  their 


316  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

own  children  been  enslaved  by  a  foreign  power,  and  Mr.  Tor- 
rey  had  rendered  to  them  precisely  the  same  assistance  that 
he  did  to  fugitives  from  their  own  bloody  grasp, — they  would 
have  been  the  first  to  heap  encomiums  upon  his  name  and 
character,  and  to  load  him  and  his  family  with  munificent 
rewards. 

"  Our  beloved  brother  who  has  thus  fallen,  a  martyr  to  the 
cause  of  philanthropy,  had  ten  thousand  things  to  tie  him  to 
the  circle  of  his  home.  I  was  acquainted  with  Mrs.  Torrey 
in  her  earliest  childhood.  Born,  reared  and  educated,  as  she 
was,  the  daughter  and  in  the  family  of  a  clergyman,  whose 
standing,  for  intelligence,  piety  and  respectability,  will  not 
suffer  in  comparison  with  any  other  in  New  England ;  pos 
sessing  a  sprightly,  active  and  amiable  disposition ;  and  in 
heriting  much  of  the  acumen  of  her  grandfather  Emmons  ;* 
she  could  hardly  help  being  worthy  of  the  Christian  and  phi 
lanthropist.  His  children,  too,  must  not  only  need  a  father's 
care,  but  must  have  bound  him  to  his  family  with  the  strong 
cord  of  a  father's  love.  These  things  must  all  be  taken  into 
the  account,  in  order  to  estimate,  in  any  degree,  the  amount 
of  Torrey's  sacrifice  and  self-denial ;  as  also  duly  to  sympa 
thize  with  his  heart-stricken  widow  and  her  fatherless  ones. 
She  is,  indeed,  set  free  from  her  late  awful  suspense,  and  has 
the  consolation  of  an  unwavering  confidence  that  her  husband 
•has  entered  the  « saints'  everlasting  rest ;'  but,  the  scars  of 
these  cruel  wounds,  which  slavery  has  inflicted,  she  must  car 
ry,  till  she  is  called  to  follow  liim  into  the  world  of  spirits. 
But  while  her  heart  swells  with  grief  at  her  husband's  incar 
ceration  and  death,  and  with  holy  indignation  at  his  murder 
ers  ;  it  is  hoped,  that  she  will  console  herself  with  implicit 
confidence  in  God,  who  is  rendering  his  martyrdom  the  heavi 
est  blow  to  American  despotism  that  it  has  yet  received. 

T.  M.  V. 


*  Rev.  Dr.  Emmons,  of  Franklin,  Massachusetts. 


SKETCHES  OF  MR.  TORREY. 


317 


JFrom  the  Green  Mountain  Freeman.] 
SKETCH  OF  CHARLES  T.  TORREY. 

BY  A  LADY. 

*  There  is  a  melancholy  and  touching  interest  connected 
with  the  life,  and  more  especially  with  the  death  of  this  good 
man,  which  must  cause  every  heart  to  feel.  During  his  whole 
course  he  manifested  by  his  deeds  that  his  heart  was  full  of 
sympathy  and  generous  humanity. 

"  I  see  him  in  the  days  of  his  boyhood,  winning  by  his 
amiable  and  modest  manners,  by  his  patient,  meek  and  gen 
tle  temper,  the  love  of  all  who  knew  him ;  I  see  him  in  his 
youth,  devoting  himself  with  every  power  of  his  noble  intel 
lect  to  the  cause  of  the  Savior  and  of  humanity.  It  was  at  this 
period  that  he  imbibed  those  sentiments  of  Freedom,  Equality 
and  Liberty,  which  gave  coloring  to  his  whole  future  life. 

"  During  his  college  course  he  was  studious,  high  minded 
and  generous  in  every  act  and  feeling  ;  a  noble  example  to 
all  with  whom  he  associated.  He  had  superior  talents  and  a 
noble  intellect.  His  was  a  mind  of  no  common  order.  The 
studies  requiring  in  others  intense  intellectual  labor,  were 
mere  pastimes  to  him. 

"  He  enters  upon  the  sacred  ministry,  devoting  every  en 
ergy  to  the  service  of  his  Master ;  like  him,  to  weep  with 
those  who  weep,  to  comfort  the  oppressed,  to  preach  deliver 
ance  to  the  captive. 

"  Again  I  see  him — he  is  prison  now.  Why  is  he  in  that 
dark,  damp  dungeon,  far  away  from  his  home,  his  heart-broken 
wife  and  children  ?  It  is  to  appease  the  rage  of  fiends  in  hu 
man  shape,  who  were  maddened  into  fury,  because  this  good 
man  had  dared  to  follow  the  dictates  of  conscience,  of  hu 
manity,  and  of  the  holy  Bible.  It  is  because  he  has  dared  to 
obey  God  rather  than  man,  that  he  is  there.  The  petitions  of 
his  friends,  the  prayers  of  his  afflicted  wife,  to  release  him, 
27* 


318  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

were  alike  unavailing  ;  and  still  the  tyrants  held  him  with  a 
grasp  of  iron,  until,  worn  down  by  toil,  privation  and  suffer 
ing,  death  released  the  noble  sufferer.  Go  to  that  prison :  he 
is  dying  now.  The  hand  of  death  is  upon  him.  In  that  trying 
hour,  he  is  away  from  all  he  holds  most  dear — from  his  sym 
pathizing  friends,  from  his  beloved  family  ;  strangers  minister 
to  his  wants  and  smooth  down  his  dying  pillow.  But  his 
mind  is  calm  and  peaceful.  He  speaks  of  the  love,  the  kind 
ness,  the  compassion  of  Jesus  towards  him.  He  fears  no 
evil  as  he  passes  through  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
death,  because  the  Sun  of  righteousness  lightens  up  its 
gloom  with  his  glorious  presence.  His  hope  is  fixed  upon 
the  rock  of  ages.  He  fears  not  to  pass  over  the  swelling 
Jordan,  because  he  is  upheld  by  the  everlasting  arm  of 
God.  Death  has  no  terror  for  him.  Look  at  him  again  ; 
he  sleeps  ;  a  smile  is  upon  his  lips ;  in  his  countenance  there 
is  unearthly  beauty.  His  face  is  calm  like  the  face  of  an 
angel ;  but  the  breath  of  the  sleeper  is  not  there  ;  God  him 
self  has  loosed  the  bands  of  the  prisoner,  and  his  free  spirit 
rests  in  the  bosom  of  his  Savior.  Oh  !  who  can  doubt  that 
the  moment  he  was  pronounced  dead  upon  earth,  he  was  wel 
comed  by  angels  as  born,  born  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible, 
nndefiled,  which  passeth  not  away  ?" 
Royalton,  June  8,  1846. 


The  following  are  only  specimens  of  the  feeling  of  a  por 
tion  of  the  community,  upon  the  death  of  Torrey,  as  mani 
fested  by  the  Resolutions  which  have  been  passed  at  nume 
rous  public  meetings. 

VOICE  FROM  ACROSS  THE  WATERS. 

Resolutions  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Anti-Slavery  Society. 

"At  a  general  meeting  of  the  committee  of  the  Brit,  and  For. 

Anti-Slavery  Society,  held  at  No.  27  New  Broad  St.,  London. 


RESOLUTIONS  OF  PUBLIC  BODIES.  319 

on  the  19th  of  June,  1846,  Eev.  John  H.  Hinton  in  the  chair, 
it  was  unanimously  resolved,  that  this  committee  have  learned 
with  profound  regret  the  decease  of  the  Rev.  C.  T.  Torrey,  in 
the  penitentiary  at  Baltimore,  Maryland,  to  which  he  had  been 
sentenced  for  a  period  of  six  years,  by  the  criminal  court  of  tha  t 
State,  for  having  aided  certain  fugitive  slaves  in  their  escape 
from  bondage. — That  they  deeply  sympathize  with  his  afflicted 
widow  and  orphan  children,  in  their  irreparable  loss,  by  which 
they  have  been  made,  in  common  with  himself,  the  victims  of 
the  inhuman  and  infamous  slave  system  of  the  United  States  ; 
and  would  earnestly  recommend  them  to  the  protection  of  the 
Most  High,  and  to  the  Christian  liberality  and  care  of  aboli 
tionists,  both  in  this  and  other  countries. — That  the  commit 
tee  would  assure  their  oppressed  fellow  creatures,  the  slave 
population  of  the  United  States,  of  their  increasing  interest  in 
their  condition, — of  the  commiseration  they  feel  for  them  in 
their  sufferings,   and  of  their  determination  to  use  every  le 
gitimate  means  for  breaking  their  fetters,  and  for  restoring 
them  to  the  possession  of  that  freedom  to  which  they  are  en 
titled  by  right  of  nature,  and  as  the  gift  of  God. — That  they 
regard  the  law  of  slavery  as  atrocious  in  principle,  a  daring 
usurpation  of  divine  prerogatives,  and  the  greatest  wrong  that 
can  be  inflicted  on  mankind  ;  and  as  a  law  which  ought,  there 
fore,  to  be  earnestly,  constantly,  and  zealously  resisted,  by 
every  friend  of  justice,  humanity  and  freedom. — That  the 
committee  consider  the  laws  incidental  to  the  state  of  le°-al- 
ized  slavery,  which  render  it  criminal  for  free  men  to  counsel 
and  aid  slaves  in  the  recovery  of  their  freedom,  and  in  other 
ways  to  instruct  and  befriend  them,  as  utterly  disgraceful  to 
a  people  professing  their  love  to  republican  institutions,  and 
their  reverence  for  the  righteous  principles  and  benign  spirit 
of  Christianity. — That  they  nevertheless  rejoice,  that  in  the 
United  States  the  conviction  is  spreading  and  deepening,  that 
slavery  is  not  less  a  sin  against  God  than  an  outrage  upon 
man,  and  ought  therefore  to  be  immediately  abolished ;  and 


320  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

they  would  encourage  and  urge  all  those  who  are  laboring  in 
this  department  of  Christian  duty,  to  the  most  strenuous  ex 
ertions,  until  their  great  and  noble  object  shall  be  fully  ac 
complished. — Finally,  That  the  committee  would  earnestly, 
yet  respectfully,  recommend  to  every  section  of  the  professedly 
Christian  church,  in  the  United  States,  to  separate  itself  from 
all  participation  in,  or  sanction  of  the  system  of  slavery,  by  a 
solemn  and  decisive  act,  and  thus  free  itself  from  the  charge 
of  upholding  an  institution  which  is  entirely  at  variance  with 
natural  justice  and  the  law  of  Christian  love. 

Signed,   THOMAS  CL  ARKS  ON,  President. 
JOHN  SCOBLE,  Secretary. 


Resolutions  of  the  Franckean  Lutheran  Synod. 

"  The  ninth  annual  session  of  this  body  was  held  at  Fords- 
boro,  Montgomery  Co.,  N.  Y.,  the  4th  of  June.  It  is  well 
known  that  this  body  has  no  ecclesiastical  connection  or  fel 
lowship  with  slaveholders,  and  in  its  proceedings  and  the  la 
bors  of  its  members,  for  years  past,  has  been  active  and  out 
spoken  in  behalf  of  the  Anti  Slavery  enterprise.  In  the  ses 
sion  lately  held,  they  renew  the  voice  of  hostility  to  the  '  hate 
ful/  '  rotten,'  and  l  guilty'  system,  and  promise  renewed  ex 
ertions  for  its  overthrow.  They  further  Resolve,  '  That  a 
special  committee  be  appointed,  to  correspond  with  other  sy- 
nodical  bodies  who  have  taken  action  on  the  subject  of  Ameri 
can  slavery,  in  order  to  induce  them  to  appoint  a  committee 
to  draft  a  protest,  jointly,  against  slavery,  and  secure  the  sig 
natures  of  as  many  of  the  clergy  of  the  Lutheran  denomina 
tion  as  possible.' 

"  That  is  a  good  move.  They  likewise  speak  out  as  men 
and  Christians  should  speak,  on  the  martyrdom  of  Rev.  C.  T. 
Torrey  :— 

'  Resolved,  That  the  imprisonment  of  our  devoted  fellow- 
laborer  and  Christian  brother,  Charles  T.  Torrey,  for  merci- 


RESOLUTIONS  OF  PUBLIC  BODIES.         321 

fully  and  humanely  interfering  in  relieving  the  oppressed, 
and  helping  the  trembling  fugitive  slave  to  escape  from  the 
hands  of  his  relentless  oppressor,  was  an  act  dictated  only  by 
hearts  dead  alike  both  to  the  common  principles  of  humanity 
and  the  fear  and  love  of  God,  and  destitute  of  respect  to  the 
divine  authority  ;  an  act  richly  meriting  the  vengeance  of  God 
and  the  hatred  and  contempt  of  every  wise  and  good  and  just 
man. 

1  Resolved,  That  governor  Pratt,  of  the  State  of  Mary 
land,  in  refusing  to  exercise  the  pardoning  power  in  the  case 
of  the  lamented  Torrey,  while  having  a  full  knowledge  of 
the  fact  that  a  pulmonary  consumption,  hurried  on  by  confine 
ment  in  a  damp,  cold  cell,  had  brought  him  to  the  very  bor 
ders  of  the  grave  ;  thus  preventing  the  kind  attention  which 
only  a  loved  and  loving  wife,  and  kindred  friends,  could  be 
stow  in  the  solemnities  of  the  dying  hour,  has  given  to  the 
civilized  and  uncivilized  world,  another  striking  proof  of  the 
accursed  influence  of  the  slave  system,  in  blighting  every  la 
tent  principle  of  humanity,  in  hushing  the  voice  of  conscience, 
and  in  hardening  the  heart  against  the  appeals  uttered  by  the 
dying  groans  of  suffering  innocence,  the  earnest  requests  of 
heart-stricken  relatives  and  friends,  and  the  just  demands  of 
the  philanthropist  and  Christian ;  and  above  all,  against  the 
high  claims  of  God. 

'  Resolved,  That  the  9th  of  May,  1846,  is  a  day  which 
will  be  ever  fresh  in  the  memory  of  all  the  friends  of  freedom, 
as  the  mournful,  yet  to  him  blissful  day,  on  which  Charles 
T.  Torrey,  another  martyr  to  liberty,  was  called  to  close  his 
severe  suffering,  and  with  his  brother  martyr,  Elijah  P. 
Lovejoy,  to  participate  in  the  glorious  reward  of  all  God's 
dear  and  faithful  children. 

1  Resolved,  That  as  an  ecclesiastical  body,  and  as  individu 
als,  we  deeply  sympathize  with  the  surviving  family  and 
friends  of  the  lamented  Torrey,  in  their  afflictions  ;  and  that, 
to  give  expression  to  such  a  significant  sympathy,  we  will,  by 


322  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

the  grace  of  God,  pursue  the  hell-born  and  God-abhorred  sys 
tem  of  American  slavery,  to  its  final  and  lasting  overthrow.' 

"  The  synod  likewise  utters  a  Christian  protest  against  the 
matchlessly  guilty  war  now  being  waged  for  the  iniquitous 
purpose  of  extending  slavery. 

i  Whereas,  War  is  wrong,  and  has  its  origin  in  the  infernal 
world,  and  is  carried  on  by  the  basest  and  most  selfish  passions 
of  men ;  and 

1  Whereas,  The  war  now  existing  between  the  United  States 
and  Mexico  is  wrong,  selfish  and  wicked  in  the  extreme, 
without  mitigation,  commenced  and  carried  on  for  the  sole 
protection,  perpetuation  and  enlargement  of  the  system  of 
American  slavery : 

'Resolved,  That  we  view  the  present  war  as  wicked,  not  only 
intrinsically  so  in  itself,  but  greatly  augmented  in  criminality 
in  consequence  of  the  circumstances,  and  being  in  stern  con 
flict  with  the  genius  of  liberty. 

'Resolved,  That  it  is  the  province  of  the  pulpit  to  speak  out 
on  this  subject,  and  reprobate  all  its  bloody  and  cruel  move 
ments,  and  that  our  brethren  are  bound  to  bring  light  and 
truth  before  the  people  on  this  subject.' " 

Resolutions  of  the  Colored  People  of  Oberlin. 

"  The  colored  citizens  of  Oberlin,  in  accordance  with  previ 
ous  notice,  assembled  in  mass  meeting  on  Thursday  evening, 
May  28th,  to  express  their  deep  sense  of  the  worth  of  the  la 
mented  Torrey,  and  improve  the  occasion  in  a  manner  sug 
gested  by  his  martyrdom. 

"  The  meeting  having  been  called  to  order,  Sabram  B.  Cox 
was  called  to  the  chair,  and  Lawrence  W.  Minor  appointed 
secretary.  After  prayer,  William  H.  Day,  from  the  com 
mittee  to  draft  resolutions  expressive  of  the  sense  of  the 
meeting,  reported  the  following,  which,  having  been  warmly 
advocated,  were  unanimously  adopted : 


RESOLUTIONS  OF  PUBLIC  BODIES.         323 

1  Whereas,  We,  as  disfranchised  Americans,  are  identified 
not  only  with  thousands  who  with  us  are  disfranchised,  but 
with  three  millions  of  our  brethren  in  bonds  :  and  whereas, 
their  interest  becomes  our  interest,  and  their  elevation  ours ; 
and  whereas,  in  the  rise  or  fall  of  our  coadjutors  we  feel  a 
deep  and  lasting  interest ;  and  whereas,  Rev.  Charles  T. 
Torrey,  in  obeying  the  dictates  which  he  believed  reason 
and  reason's  God  had  given  him,  has,  by  the  ruthlessness  of 
southern  freebooters,  been  seized  as  a  captive,  on  a  charge  of 
having  assisted  some  slaves  to  escape  to  a  land  of  liberty : 
and,  having  by  a  Maryland  process,  called  law,  been  con 
demned  to  remain  for  six  years  within  the  dingy  walls  of  a 
prison  ;  and  whereas,  within  those  walls  and  away  from  home, 
he  has  died,  a  martyr  to  our  cause — therefore, 

*  Resolved,  That  by  his  active  and  untiring  efforts,  and  sub 
sequent  self-sacrifice  upon  the  altar,  Rev.  Charles  T.  Torrey 
has  shown  his  true  devotion   to  the  cause  of  down-trodden 
humanity,  proved  himself  worthy  of  the  Pilgrim's  "  home," 
and  of  a  resting  place  among  the  graves  of  Pilgrim  sires. 

*  Resolved,  That  while  we  feel  the  inadequacy  of  language 
to  express  the  sentiments  that  burn  in  our  souls,  in  their  be 
half,  we  offer  to  the  afflicted  wife  and  children  of  the  lament 
ed  Torrey,  our  tenderest  sympathy,  our  deepest  feeling,  and 
our  most  respectful  regard,  and  commend  them  to  the  sure 
protection  of  the  God  of  the  oppressed,  and  to  his  care,  who 
is  a  "  father  to  the  fatherless  and  the  widow's  God," 

*  Resolved,  That  while  we  have  sympathized  in  the  suffer 
ings  of  a  Work,  a  Burr,  and  a  Thompson,  incarcerated  with 
in  the  walls  of  a  Missouri  prison,  and  others  in  a  similar  situ 
ation  ;  and  in  the  noble  stand  and  noble  fall  of  a  Lovejoy  up 
on  the  plains  of  Alton  ;  with  the  branded  hand  of  a  Walker 
in  the  ever-glades  of  Florida ;    and  in  the   glorious  martyr- 
death  of  a  Torrey  by  Maryland  law  and  in  a  Maryland  pris 
on  ;  and  while  in  it  we  see  the  legitimate  working  out,  of  an- 


324  MEMOIR    OF  TORREY. 

cient  aristocracy  and  utter  disregard  of  the  rights  of  humani 
ty,  we  rejoice  to  see  the  crisis  of  our  cause  approaching,  and 
the  dawning  of  a  brighter  day  which  will  surely  follow. 

1  Resolved,  That  governor  Pratt  of  Maryland,  in  spurning 
the  petition  of  Mrs.  Torrey,  that  her  husband  might  breathe 
his  last  among  his  native  hills,  when  it  was  evident  to  all 
that  his  life  would  be  ended  in  a  few  days  and  perhaps  hours : 
while  the  same  governor,  under  less  urgent  circumstances, 
could  set  at  liberty  a  counterfeiter  at  the  request  of  his  wife 
whom  he  had  before  deserted,  has  shown  himself  guilty  of  a 
base  servility  to  the  demon  of  slavery,  and  worthy  of  the 
just  reprobation  of  every  American,  whether  bond  or  free. 

'Resolved,  That  however  discouraging  the  circumstances 
of  our  case  may  become,  how  manysoever  of  us,  or  others, 
may  fall,  we  will  not  despair,  but  trusting  in  God,  press  for 
ward,  in  the  full  assurance,  that  if  "  hereditary  bondmen 
would  be  free,  themselves  must  strike  the  blow." 

1  Resolved,  That  the  spirit  which  actuated  Mr.  Torrey  and 
his  coadjutors,  for  the  good  of  our  cause,  in  disregarding  ille 
gal  enactments  and  positive  lawlessness,  in  defence  of  the 
right  and  opposition  to  the  wrong,  shall  not  be  unimitated ; 
but  we,  each  to  each,  pledge  ourselves  anew,  to  stand  firmly 
in  the  conflict  until  death.' 

"  After  discussion  of  the  above,  it  was  voted  that  a  copy 
of  the  above  resolutions  be  forwarded  to  Mrs.  Torrey,  and 
also,  to  Gov.  Pratt,  of  Maryland. 

"  Voted,  That  the  following  papers  be  requested  to  pub 
lish  the  above :  The  Oberlin  Evangelist,  Cleveland  Ameri 
can,  Pittsburgh  Mystery,  Cincinnati  Herald,  Colored  Citizen, 
Anti- Slavery  Bugle,  Western  Citizen,  Signal  of  Liberty, 
The  Liberator,  New  York  Evangelist,  and  all  other  papers 
friendly  to  the  cause.  After  which  the  meeting  adjourned. 

SABRAM  B.  Cox,  Chairman. 

LAWRENCE  W.  MINOR,  Secretary. 


RESOLUTIONS  OF  PUBLIC  BODIES.         325 


[From  the  Western  Citizen.] 

Resolutions  on  the  Martyrdom  of  Mr.  Torrey. 
"  At  a  public  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Galesburgh,  Knox 
county,  held  on  the   1st  of  June,  1846,  the  following  reso 
lutions  were  adopted,  and  ordered  to  be   published  in  the 
Citizen :  —  ' 

1  Whereas,  The  Rev.  Charles  T.  Torrey,  late  of  Massachu 
setts,  has  died  in  the  penitentiary  of  Maryland,  where  he  had; 
been  confined  more  than  twelve  months  for  aiding  fugitives- 
who  desired  to  escape  from  slavery ;  and  whereas,  the  gov 
ernor  of  Maryland,  who  pardoned  out  a  counterfeiter,  refused, 
to  release  Torrey  at  the  petition  of  his  afflicted  wife,  though 
her  petition  was  endorsed  by  many  of  the  first  citizens  of  Mas 
sachusetts,  Therefore, 

1st.  '  Resolved,  That  while  as  a  community  we  deeply  sym 
pathize  with  the  bereaved  family,  we  rejoice  that  death,  less 
inexorable  than  slavery,  has  released  our  brother  from  his- 
cruel  oppressors. 

2d.  '  That  when,  in  the  providence  of  God,  Christians  fall 
in  with  fugitives  escaping  from  slavery,  all  the  precepts  of 
Christ  which  make  it  a  duty  to  relieve  the  sufferings  and  to 
succor  the  distressed,  bind  them  to  aid  such  fugitives  in  their 
flight,  with  such  things  as  they  need. 

3d.  '  That,  in  the  imprisonment  and  death  of  Torrey,  by 
the  slave  power,  we  behold  a  plain,  practical,  and  shocking 
denial  of  the  very  first-born  of  American  principles,  to  wit : 
"  that  man  has  inalienable  rights  ;"  for  it  is  for  aiding  men 
accused  of  no  crime,  to  secure  such  rights  which  had  been 
wrested  from  them,  that  he  has  suffered  imprisonment  and 
death. 

4th.  '  That  the  American  church  is  loudly  called  on  by  the 
deiith  of  its  ministers  stricken  down  by  the  slave  power,  to 
humble  itself  for  the  sin  of  neglecting  the  poor  and  oppressed 
28 


326  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

in  this  land  ;  and  that  all  citizens,  of  whatever  condition  or 
calling,  ought  to  arise  and  rescue  from  the  grasp  of  the  slave- 
holding  faction,  that  doctrine  of  natural  liberty  and  inalienable 
rights,  by  virtue  of  which  they  hold  their  civil  immunities, 
their  religious  principles,  their  families,  and  the  very  titles 
to  their  houses  and  lands. 

H.  H.  KELLOGG,  Chairman. 
N.  WEST,  Secretary. 


Resolutions  of  the   Citizens  of  Assonet  Village,  Mass. 

"Last  Sabbath  evening,  (17th  May,  '46)  the  friends  of  free 
dom  in  Assonet  village  (Freetown)  were  called  together  by 
the  tolling  of  the  bell,  to  notice  this  mournful  transaction  in 
an  appropriate  manner.  The  Convention  was  large  and  re 
spectable,  and  was  organized  by  the  choice  of  Alden  Hatha 
way,  Jr.,  president  ;  Joseph  Staples  and  Benedict  Andros, 
vice  presidents  ;  and  Curtis  C.  Nichols,  secretary.  Rev.  Mr. 
Chamberlin  led  in  prayer ;  after  which  the  secretary  stated 
the  object  of  the  meeting,  and  gave  a  short  account  of  Mr. 
Torrey's  arduous  labors  in  the  cause  of  human  freedom,  his 
privations  and  sufferings,  and  his  imprisonment  and  death ; 
and  then  presented  the  following  preamble  and  resolutions, 
which  were  ably  and  eloquently  sustained  by  Rev.  Messrs. 
Maxwell,  Burbank,  and  Chamberlin,  and  unanimously 
adopted :  — 

'  Whereas,  the  sad  intelligence  of  the  death  of  Charles  Tur 
ner  Torrey,  of  Massachusetts,  a  minister  of  Christ,  who,  for 
an  act  of  mercy,  was  immured  in  the  penitentiary  of  Mary 
land,  has  at  last  reached  us ;  and  with  the  deepest  feeling  of 
indignation  toward  those  of  our  fellow  men,  in  our  own  coun 
try,  who  have  for  a  long  series  of  years  assumed  the  preroga 
tives  of  the  Almighty  over  their  equal  brethren — crushed, 
blasted,  destroyed  humanity,  and  rioted  upon  the  blood  of  the 
defenceless ;  who  have  scourged,  incarcerated,  and  cruelly 


RESOLUTIONS  OF  PUBLIC  BODIES.         327 

murdered  the  friends  of  freedom ;  and  have,  at  last,  with 
fiendish  barbarity,  struck  down  in  the  prime  of  life,  one  of  the 
most  gifted,  self-denying,  and  devoted  sons  of  the  Pilgrims ; 
and  in  his  death  have  aimed  a  blow  at  every  man  and  woman 
who  feels  as  he  felt  and  would  act  as  he  acted ;  at  the  spirit 
of  liberty  in  our  land,  and  at  the  best  interests  of  our  common 
country  and  the  principles  of  the  Christian  religion;  there 
fore, 

'Resolved,  That  the  gradual  and  almost  irresistible  encroach 
ments  of  the  slave  power  in  this  nation,  should  awaken  the 
friends  of  liberty  to  the  danger  which  threatens  them,  and 
summon  them  forth  to  the  great  conflict  between  liberty  and 
slavery,  for  the  protection  of  their  own  rights  and  the  rights 
of  enslaved  millions,  and  to  a  more  determined  warfare  against 
the  supporters  of  the  system  of  slavery,  whether  in  church  or 
State, 

'  Resolved,  That  the  great  principles  of  the  anti-slavery  re 
form  are  drawn  from  the  Avord  of  God — the  acting  out  of  which 
is  binding  upon  all  who  profess  to  be  the  followers  of  Christ ; 
that  the  Rev.  Charles  T.  Torrey,  for  the  crime  of  living  in 
accordance  with  them,  became  a  martyr.  The 'so-called  church 
of  Christ  and  its  ministry,  then,  as  well  as  the  editors  of  cer 
tain  religious  journals,  who  have  always  disregarded  the  claims 
of  the  oppressed,  and,  in  keeping  with  their  general  character, 
have  looked  upon  the  sufferings  of  the  martyred  Torrey  with 
indifference  ;  or,  worse  than  all,  endeavored  to  injure  his  repu 
tation,  and  turn  the  sympathies  of  the  people  against  him  and 
against  the  cause  of  human  liberty, — give  no  evidence  of  hav- 
•*ing  passed  from  death  unto  life,  and  are  unworthy  the  Chris 
tian  name. 

*  Resolved,  That  the  great  body  of  the  American  people  are 
involved  in  the  awful  guilt  of  dehumanizing  immortal  beings, 
— that  slavery  exists  by  their  action  or  m-action — that  it  is 
not  Southern  Slavery,  but  AMERICAN  SLAVERY,  sustained, 
sanctioned  and  perpetuated,  thus  far,  by  Northern  as  well  as 


328  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

Southern  influence ;  and  that  all  who  have  understandingly 
exerted  their  moral  or  political  power,  for  the  support  of  a 
slaveholding  administration  of  government,  have  by  this  act 
become  slaveholders  themselves  ;  and,  if  not  repented  of,  are 
chargeable  with  the  abominations  of  the  system.'  " 


"  At  a  meeting  of  members  of  the  religious  denominations 
of  Salem  (Ohio)  and  its  vicinity,  held  at  the  Methodist  Epis 
copal  House,  May  28th,  Rev.  J.  COON,  president,  the  follow 
ing  resolutions  were  adopted  with  but  one  dissenting  voice  : 

*  Whereas,  Slavery  has  laid  its  ruthless  hand  on  C.  T.  TOR 
REY,  and  crushed  his  physical  constitution  in  its  iron  grasp, 
because  he  dared  "  do  unto  others  as  he  would  have  others  do 
unto  him ;"  therefore, 

'Resolved,  That  in  the  murder  of  this  our  lamented  brother, 
we  recognize  the  system  of  slavery  an  antagonist  of  Jehovah, 
and  in  league  with  the  emissaries  of  Satan. 

*  Resolved,  That  those  who  take  sides  with  this  murder,  or 
with  the  institution  which  caused  it,  whether  perceptible  to 
themselves  or  not,  are  acting  in   opposition  to   God;   and 
whether  professors  or  non-professors,  opposing  that  church, 
against  which  it  is  said  "the  gates  of  hell  shall  never  prevail." 

'  Resolved,  That  while  we  weep  with  the  bereaved  wife  and 
fatherless  children,  for  one  they  shall  never,  never  behold  in 
time  ;  while  we  mingle  our  tears  and  heartfelt  groans  with 
the  three  million  slaves,  who  imploringly  turn  their  eyes  to 
wards  heaven  and  exclaim,  "Upon  whom  shall  his  mantle  fall? 
Upon  whom  shall  the  spirit  of  Torrey  rest  ?"  and  while  our 
shriek  is  heard  in  unison  with  that  of  freedom,  we  have  the 
hope  that  his  spirit,  snatched  from  the  attempted  grasp  of  man, 
has  gone  to  the  embrace  of  Christ. 

L.  T.  PARK,  Secretary.' " 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS.  329 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS. 

[From  the  New  Jersey  Freeman.] 

«  Charles  T.  Torrey.— The  readers  of  the  Freeman  are 
no  doubt  already  apprised  of  the  fact,  that  Charles  T.  Torrey 
is  dead.  He  may  be  regarded  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the 
term  a  martyr  to  liberty.  He  had  been  incarcerated  in  pris 
on  nearly  two  years,  and  all  that  time  under  circumstances 
truly  aggravating.  His  friends  were  almost  entirely  denied 
access  to  him,  even  during  sickness,  and  cut  off  from  com 
municating  with  him  and  comforting  him,  except  on  very 
few  occasions,  and  then,  under  the  eye  of  the  keenest  slave- 
holding  scrutiny.  He  had  been  guarded  with  a  vigilance 
that  the  security  of  no  guilty  criminal  required.  The  author 
ities  of  Maryland  have  acted  as  if  the  very  existence  of  sla 
very  demanded  the  sacrifice  of  Mr.  Torrey.  A  guilty  pirate 
in  the  same  prison  could  receive  the  governor's  pardon,  but 
Torrey  must  die  for  an  act  of  humanity,  notwithstanding  the 
thrilling  appeals  that  were  made  in  his  behalf.  He  had  of 
fended  against  slavery,  and  this  is  the  highest  offence  known 
at  the  South. 

"  But  they  have  done  their  worst  to  poor  Torrey ;  they 
have  done  all  they  can  do  ;  he  is  out  of  their  reach,  but  they 
are  not  out  of  his ;  they  are  done  with  him,  but  he  is  not 
done  with  them  ;  his  funeral  knell  will  ring  through  the  ears 
of  the  slaveholders  until  they  will  be  heartily  sick  of  resort 
ing  to  such  means  for  preserving  an  institution  that  has  no 
parallel  in  the  history  of  the  world. 

"  Mr.  Torrey  has  gone  to  rest  in  peace  beyond  the  reach 
of  his  persecutors ;  but  there  will  be  no  rest  or  peace  for 
them ;  though  the  victim  of  their  rage  and  malice  is  dead, 
yet  he  speaks,  and  will  continue  to  speak,  in  thunder  tones, 
into  the  ears  of  slaveholders,  until  they  loose  their  grasp  up 
on  their  brother's  throat.  His  martyr  spirit  will  haunt  them 
28* 


330  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

by  night  and  by  day,  in  their  waking  and  sleeping  hours.  It 
will  rouse  up  the  indignant  feelings  of  northern  freemen  and 
baptize  them  with  new  zeal  and  vigor,  increase  their  ener 
gies,  settle  the  determination  to  annihilate  slaveholding,  to 
give  it  no  resting  place  on  earth,  and  nerve  them  for  the 
battle. 

"  And  now,  we  would  say  to  all  abolitionists,  think  of 
Torrey !  When  you  begin  to  feel  weary  in  the  cause  of  the 
slave,  think  of  Torrey  !  When  you  think  you  have  done 
your  part  of  the  labor,  think  of  Torrey  !  When  you  think 
you  have  labored  long  enough,  given  money  enough,  sacrifi 
ced  enough,  endured  privations  enough,  think  of  Torrey ! 
When  you  feel  discouraged,  depressed,  weighed  down,  think 
of  Torrey !  When  you  think  of  him,  you  will  think  of  the 
source  of  his  persecutions,  you  will  think  of  the  slave,  of 
your  country's  deep  degradation,  and  you  will  not  think  of 
sitting  down  in  idleness. 

"  The  sympathies  of  every  true  man  will  be  deeply  drawn 
out  in  favor  of  outraged  humanity,  whenever  the  trials  of  this 
faithful  friend  of  the  slave  are  brought  to  view.  We  envy 
riot  the  littleness  of  those  heartless  spirits,  who  stand  ready 
to  cast  odium  on  Mr.  Torrey,  and  (counteract  the  influence  of 
the  deep  sympathies  of  the  people  for  him  upon  the  institu 
tions  of  our  country,)  by  saying  that  he  only  suffered  the  pen 
alties  of  a  broken  law.  Had  he  broken  no  law,  say  they,  he 
need  not  to  have  suffered,  and  therefore  it  was  his  own  fault. 
We  have  no  respect  for  such  men,  be  they  who  they  may  ; 
we  are  willing  they  should  enjoy,  to  the  fullest  extent,  all  the 
satisfaction  which  a  view  of  their  own  contemptible  littleness 
can  afford  them.  We  have  always  thought  that  a  man  de 
served  honor  for  a  noble  act,  in  proportion  to  the  difficulties 
and  perils  endured  in  the  work,  and  if  Mr.  Torrey  did  an  act 
of  humanity  in  the  face  of  unjust  laws,  so  much  the  more  we 
are  bound  to  honor  him  for  it.  We  place  him  along  with  the 
great  and  good  men  of  every  age  who  have  labored  success- 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS.  331 

fully  for  reform  in  opposition  to  wicked  laws.  If  there  had 
been  no  laws  prohibiting  aid  to  fugitives  from  slavery,  any 
body  could  help  these  poor  sufferers;  it  would  be  an  easy 
matter ;  but  as  it  is,  it  required  one  who  was  willing  to  toil, 
make  sacrifices,  look  perils  in  the  face,  bleed  and  die  if  ne 
cessary.  It  required  a  Torrey.  None  but  a  Torrey  can  go 
into  Maryland  and  practically  advocate  the  doctrines  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence ;  and  we  are  bound  to  give  his 
name  a  conspicuous  place  among  the  martyred  philanthro 
pists  that  adorn  the  pages  of  the  world's  history.  Posterity 
will  place  it  therer  whether  we  agree  to  it  or  not. 

u  Mr.  Torrey's  funeral  was  held  in  Boston,  and  a  ser 
mon  was  preached  on  the  occasion  by  a  brother  of  the  mar 
tyred  Lovejoy.  The  body  was  interred  at  Mount  Auburn  Cem 
etery,  where  a  suitable  monument  will  be  erected  to  his  mem 
ory.  His  death,  under  all  the  trying  circumstances  of  the  case, 
as  we  might  expect,  is  producing  a  powerful  sensation,  which 
pervades  the  whole  community,  from  Maine  to  Wisconsin. 

"  Ministers  are  preaching  funeral  discourses  through  the 
whole  north  on  the  occasion ;  and  we  trust  the  murderers  of 
Charles  T.  Torrey  will  yet  find,  that  '  though  dead,'  he  will 
yet  speak  in  their  ears,  to  their  dismay. 

"  We  do  not  believe  that  the  moral  sense,  even  of  the 
south,  can  sleep  over  the  abominations  daily  committed  there. 
We  never  hated  slavery  so  much  as  we  now  do." 


[From  the  Spirit  of  Liberty.] 

"  The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed ;  the  righteous  shall 
be  in  everlasting  remembrance." 

"  The  late  Liberty  Convention  resolved  that  a  public 
meeting  should  be  held  in  this  city,  in  commemoration  of 
the  death  of  this  martyred  minister  of  Christ.  The  resolu- 


332  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

tion  invites  all  the  friends  of  freedom  to  unite  with  the  mem 
bers  of  the  convention,  on  the  occasion.  Would  it  not  be 
equally  meet  and  appropriate  to  invite  all  the  friends  of 
Christ  to  join  in  the  commemoration  ?  Devout  men  carried 
Stephen  to  his  burial  and  made  great  lamentations  over  him. 
There  is  a  fitness  still,  in  carrying  a  good  man  to  his  burial. 
And  if  they  cannot  be  present  when  a  distinguished  man  falls  in 
the  service  of  his  Master,  to  take  part  in  the  last  sad  act  for  the 
dead,  the  occasion  need  not  be  suffered  to  pass  without  some 
memorial  to  the  departed,  and  some  means  of  fixing  the  les 
son,  which  it  teaches,  firmly  in  our  hearts.  We  go,  then,  for 
commemorating  the  fall  of  Torrey.  He  was  a  devout  man, 
as  his  life  has  shown,  even  as  the  poet  has  described  it, 

'  Devotion,  when  lukewarm,  is  undevout, 
But  when  it  glows,  its  heat  is  struck  to  heaven.' 

And  although  the  inconsiderate  may  never  have  had  a 
thought  in  relation  to  his  character,  the  Scriptural  exhibi 
tions  of  the  characters  and  fortunes  of  the  true  disciples  of 
Jesus,  leave  no  one,  who  will  dwell  but  a  moment  upon  the 
subject,  to  doubt  of  Torrey.  '  Ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men 
for  my  name's  sake.'  '  If  they  have  persecuted  me,  they 
will  also  persecute  you.'  These  are  the  words  of  the  Lord 
and  Master.  They  yet  convey  the  fullest  significance.  Who, 
at  this  day,  shall  we  take'  for  his  disciples  ?  The  men, 
whom  the  world  honors  and  caresses  even  as  God's  high 
priests  ;  or  the  man  who,  for  preaching  the  truth,  (imprudent 
ly,  only,  it  is  said,)  and  relieving  the  helpless  poor,  is  cast  in 
to  prison,  and  slain  with  a  lingering  death  ?  For  myself,  I 
have  no  doubt  of  what  will  be  the  judgment  of  the  future — 
both  of  future  generations  and  the  future  world.  No  genera 
tion,  in  their  own  judgment,  kill  the  prophets.  The  fathers 
always  kill  them,  and  they,  in  their  pious  fervor  build  their 
~tn"&h»  sepulchres.  Mankind  never  inflict  martyrdom  without 
first  dressing  the  victim  in  a  garb  of  one  worthy  of  death. 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS.  333 

For  what  was  Charles  T.  Torrey  convicted  and  martyred  ? 
For  delivering  the  slave  from  his  master.  For  releasing  cap 
tives  from  the  blackest  prison-house.  Let  Torrey,  then,  go 
down  to  all  coming  generations  in  the  very  garb  in  which  he 
suffered,  with  the  words  of  the  '  indictment,'  as  frontlets,  be 
tween  his  eyes. 

"  At  the  proposed  meeting,  I  wish  to  see  every  man,  who 
feels  as  a  disciple  of  Christ.  Not  only  the  friends  of  freedom, 
but  the  friends  of  Christian  devotedness.  If  Torrey  was  a 
follower  of  the  Divine  Master,  and  followed  him  even  to  a 
martyr's  death,  every  other  follower  of  Christ,  has  a  peculiar 
interest  in  him.  They  are  members  with  him  of  the  same 
body,  and  the  more  real  and  true  they  make  the  sympathy 
with  him  now,  the  more  readily  will  their  spirits  approach  the 
exalted  and  honored  position  of  his  spirit  in  the  glorified  body 
in  heaven." 


[From  the  Pittsburgh  Spirit  of  Liberty.] 

"  Poor  Charles  T.  Torrey  has  at  last  been  freed,  by  the 
hand  of  death,  from  the  penitentiary  of  Maryland.  He  died 
on  the  8th  inst.,  in  the  hospital  of  the  penitentiary,  from  pul 
monary  consumption.  The  avarice  of  Heckrotte  has  been 
disappointed,  and  he  and  his  contemptible  fellow-thieves  have 
added  the  slow  murder  of  an  upright,  noble  Christian,  to  the 
long  catalogue  of  crimes  which  shall  be  arrayed  against  them 
in  that  hour  when  he  and  they  shall  stand  before  the  Judge 
of  all  the  earth.  Who  would  exchange  his  hope  for  that  of  his 
heartless  persecutors  ?  For  the  craven-hearted  governor  of 
Maryland,  will  not  the  world's  contempt  be  too  light  a  punish 
ment  ?  The  power  to  set  poor  Torrey  free,  so  that  at  least 
he  might  die  arnid  his  family,  was  in  the  hands  of  the  gov 
ernor.  He  could  have  pardoned,  whether  Heckrotte's  infernal 


334  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

greed  of  gold  was  satiated  or  not ;  but  he  chose  to  leave  the 
noble  captive  to  die  in  the  prison,  rather  than  risk  his  popu 
larity  by  doing  right. — His  reward  shall  come.  To  the  great 
State  of  Maryland,  how  deep  is  the  disgrace  !  To  the  slave- 
holding  villains  who  have  brought  it  upon  her,  how  bitter  will 
be  the  retribution !  What  have  they  gained  by  this  crime  ? 
Infamy !  They  have  sown  the  wind  to  reap  the  whirlwind  ; 
and  the  knell  of  Charles  T.  Torrey  is  the  knell  of  Maryland 
oppression.  The  God  of  truth  cannot  look  with  allowance 
on  such  a  deed  as  this  persecution  unto  death  of  a  Christian 
minister,  for  letting  *  the  oppressed  go  free  ;'  and  if  he  visit 
not  the  perpetrators  with  sore  judgments,  they  must  repent 
speedily. 

"  But  the  noble  and  brave-hearted  Torrey  shall  dwell  no 
more  among  men.  His  children  have  no  father,  his  wife  no 
husband.  '  He  died  that  glorious  poor  man  that  the  creditor 
of  humanity  always  is ;'  and  it  becomes  the  duty  of  every 
abolitionist  to  inquire  into  the  circumstances  of  his  family,  to 
condole  with  and  to  aid  them,  if  possible.  Let  it  be  known 
that  we  reverence  the  good  man's  memory — that  his  co-labo 
rers  embalm  it  in  their  hearts." 


[From  the  Western  Christian.] 

"  Torrey's  funeral  services  were  conducted  in  the  Tremont 
Temple,  Boston,  where  Rev.  N.  Colver  preaches.  The  Con- 
gregationalist  society,  of  which  some  of  the  relatives  were 
members,  refused  the  use  of  their  house  on  the  occasion.  — 
Such  is  the  influence  of  slavery  over  churches  in  commercial 
cities.  A  brother  of  the  martyred  Lovejoy  was  very  appro 
priately  selected  to  deliver  the  sermon,  which  will  soon  be 
published.  All  seem  to  unite  in  admiring  the  spirit  of  the 
fallen  man  ;  but  most  deem  his  conduct  in  aiding  fugitives  to 
escape,  as  unjustifiable,  inasmuch  as  the  barbarous  laws  of 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS.  335 

Maryland  endangered  his  ability  to  discharge  the  paramount 
obligations  he  was  under  to  his  wife  and  children. — This, 
however,  does  not  in  the  least  moderate  the  tone  of  the  free 
press  towards  the  barbarous  governor  of  Maryland,  or  the  ac 
cursed  system  of  oppression  that  thirsted  for,  and  obtained 
the  blood  of  this  noble  victim.  As  of  Lovejoy,  so  of  Torrey, 
it  may  be  said,  '  from  every  drop  of  his  blood  shall  spring  up 
full-grown  abolitionists.'  One  of  the  surest  evidences  that 
slavery  is  destined  to  a  speedy  overthrow,  is  the  madness 
which  its  friends  betray  in  their  efforts  to  secure  its  per 
petuity:  Quos  Deus  vult  perdere,  dementat.  The  slave 
power  of  this  nation  must  fall,  of  its  own  over-action.  Its 
attacks  upon  the  freedom  of  speech  and  the  press ;  its  fla 
grant  violations  of  the  right  of  petition  and  the  constitution  of 
the  United  States  ;  its  brutal  assaults  upon  members  of  Con 
gress  from  the  free  States ;  its  mob-violence  all  over  the  land  ; 
and  finally  its  murder  of  two  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  im 
prisonment  of  others,  though  intended  to  check  the  rising 
spirit  of  abolition,  have  increased  it  a  thousand-fold,  and  raised 
the  waves  of  popular  indignation  so  high,  that  no  earthly 
power  can  stay  their  progress  till  the  accursed  thing  is  swept 
from  the  land.  Torrey,  like  Samson,  has  accomplished  more 
in  his  death,  than  during  his  life." 


[From  the  Green  Mountain  Freeman.] 

"  '  That  Torrey  died  in  prison,  is  probably  no  more  the 
fault  of  the  governor  of  Maryland,  than  it  was  of  Mr.  T.  him 
self,  or  his  friends  —  for  it  seems  he  might  have  been  released  : 
but  the  law,  making  his  conduct  a  crime,  is  a  proper  subject 
for  animadversion.  It  is  part  of  the  system  of  slavery,  and  by 
no  means  recommends  that  system  to  freemen.'  —  Watchman. 


How  might  Torrey  and  his  friends  have  secured  his 
release  ?     Only  by  acknowledging  that  he  had  done  wrong, 


336  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

and  promising  to  do  so  no  more.  It  is  not  true,  as  the  Watch 
man  asserts,  (as  we  understand  the  matter,)  that  a  pardon 
might  have  been  secured  by  acknowledging  that  the  laws  of 
Maryland  had  been  violated,  and  paying  for  the  slaves. 
Nothing  short  of  an  expression  of  regret  and  contrition  for 
the  deed  of  mercy — a  base  prostration  before  the  dark  idol  of 
slavery,  which  might  be  heralded  to  the  world  as  another  lau 
rel  in  its  wreath  of  triumph — would  satisfy  the  inhuman  ty 
rants,  and  secure  the  victim's  release.  Could  Torrey  comply 
with  these  terms  ?  Let  his  own  reply  suffice — a  sentiment 
worthy  to  be  inscribed  in  golden  letters  upon  the  banner  of 
every  man  who  enlists  in  the  great  strife  of  human  progress 
and  reform  :  i  It  is  better  to  die  in  prison  with  the  peace  of  God 
in  our  hearts,  than  live  in  freedom  with  a  polluted  conscience  /' 
We  acknowledge,  and  with  shame,  that  many  among  us  who 
make  high  professions  of  piety  and  humanity,  would  have 
considered  a  pardon  cheaply  purchased  on  the  conditions  pre 
scribed  ;  but  Torrey  thought  otherwise.  Time  will  reveal 
which  course  is  right.  Pity  the  Watchman  adviser  had  not 
lived  in  early  times,  when,  by  his  counsel  he  might  have 
saved  a  Daniel  from  the  lion's  den,  the  three  worthies  from 
the  fiery  furnace,  and  even  a  Savior  from  the  cross  ! 

"  But  the  *  law,  making  his  conduct  a  crime,  is  a  proper 
subject  of  animadversion.'  Oh,  yes  !  the  law — the  law  /you 
may  rail  and  rant,  preach  and  pray,  against  that  as  much  as 
you  please ;  but  the  dear  whiff  law-makers  and  law-executors 
of  Maryland,  arc  simon-pure  patriots,  philanthropists  and 
Christians  the  world  over,  and  worthy  of  being  elevated  to  the 
highest  posts  of  honor  in  church  and  State ! 

"  '  It  (the  law)  is  a  part  of  the  system  of  slavery,  and  by 
no  means  recommends  that  system  to  freemen.'  Indeed! 
Here  is  the  deliberate,  recorded  judgment  of  the  editor  of  the 
Vermont  Watchman,  the  organ  of  the  '  true  liberty  party'  in 
Vermont,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  eighteen  hundred  and  forty- 
six,  and  of  American  Independence  the  seventieth,  that  that 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS.  337 

law  which  murders  men  in  cold  dungeons  for  obeying  the  com 
mands  of  God,  by  no  means  recommends  the  system  of  which 
it  is  a  part,  to  the  adoption  of  freemen'!  And  whenever  the 
freemen  of  Vermont  consider  the  question  of  establishing 
slavery  in  their  midst,  let  them  not  forget  this  consideration ! 
"  Shame  on  the  man — the  northerner — the  Vermonter — 
the  Christian — that  can  thus  notice  the  fall  of  a  martyr  to- 
liberty !" 


[From  the  Charter  Oak.] 

"  Torrey  is  dead. — With  mingled  feelings  of  sorrow  and  re 
gret,  we  chronicle  the  following,  which  we  find  in  the  Tri 
bune  of  the  llth  inst.,  from  a  correspondent  in  Baltimore  to 
a  friend  in  New  York  city : 

'  Our  beloved  Torrey  departed  this  life  at  three  o'clock, 
this  afternoon.  Mr.  S.  was  absent  from  the  city,  and  I  have 
therefore  learned  none  of  the  particulars  of  his  death.  He 
visited  him  twice  yesterday,  and  found  him  peaceful  and  hap 
py.  There  is  now  no  more  that  his  enemies  can  do.  Happy 
deliverance !' 

"  Another  correspondent,  writing  to  the  same  the  day  be 
fore,  says : 

'I  have  just  come  from  the  bed-side  of  our  friend  Torrey  : 
he  is  almost  gone.  He  had  a  hemorrhage  last  night,  and 
threw  up  half  a  gill  of  blood.  He  is  very  weak  now,  but 
knew  me,  and  spoke  of  his  death,  in  view,  with  faith  and  re 
signation.  He  spoke  also  of  the  kindness  of  Jesus,  in  making 
"  sick  and  in  prison"  the  climax  of  his  specifications  when  he 
noticed  the  position  in  which  his  disciples  might  administer  to 
his  wants.  "  He  may  have  thought  of  me,"  said  he.' 

"  Thus  a  good  man  and  a  true  has  fallen.  Let  history  re 
cord  the  fact,  that  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  a  son  of  the 
Pilgrims,  has  been  immolated  to  the  Moloch  of  slavery  in  the 
middle  of  the  nineteenth  century,  in  the  land  of  boasted  liberty 
29 


338  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

and  freedom  !  A  land  that  bore  on  its  soil  a  Washington,  and 
whose  bosom  contains  the  graves  of  the  patriots  of  the  Revo 
lution,  who  poured  out  their  treasures  and  their  life-blood  to 
break  the  rod  of  oppression  and  to  secure  the  priceless  boon 
of  liberty,  with  the  countless  blessings  that  flow  in  its  train, 
to  their  descendants,  and  the  world.  Yet  one  and  another  of 
their  descendants  are  sacrificed  to  oppression ;  and  the  voice 
of  their  blood  which  pleads  for  liberty,  in  tones  that  startle 
the  nations  from  their  despotic  slumbers,  and  shakes  the 
power  of  tyranny  throughout  the  civilized  world,  is  unheeded 
by  the  nation,  and  goes  up  silently  to  heaven  and  enters  into 
the  ears  of  Eternal  Justice.  '  Shall  I  not  visit  for  these  things, 
and  shah1  not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  such  a  nation  as  this, 
saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts  ?'  " 


[From  the  Morning  Star.] 

"  Martyrdom  of  Charles  T.  Torrey. — The  doctrine  of  the 
providential  government  of  God  is  among  the  most  glorious 
doctrines  of  the  Bible.  It  is  this  that  cheers  the  Christian, 
when  amid  the  sorer  trials  of  his  present  existence,  he  is 
pressed  to  exclaim  with  Jacob,  l  All  these  things  are  against 
me.'  For  he  knows  that  under  its  operations,  all  things  shall 
be  made  to  '  work  together  for  the  good  of  them  that  love 
God.'  Let  the  friends  of  the  slave,  and  the  slave  himself, 
the  children  of  Torrey  and  Torrey's  lonesome  widow,  accept 
the  consolation  which  this  doctrine  is  designed  to  afford 
them. 

"  To  be  sure,  the  martyrdom  of  Torrey  is  an  event  which 
must  ever  be  deplored  by  every  true  Christian  and  philan 
thropist.  None  but  the  ignorant  and  depraved  will  say  of 
him,  as  the  same  classes  said  of  the  martyred  Lovejoy,  *  he 
died  as  the  fool  dieth.'  It  may,  indeed,  in  the  eyes  of 
the  world,  be  as  foolish  as  it  is  unpopular  to  die  in  the  act 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS.  339 

of  doing  'unto  others  as  we  would  have  others  do  unto 
us.'  But  not  so  in  the  eyes  of  Christianity.  And  to  every 
one  who  thus  dies,  and  dies  for  thus  doing,  the  angels  doubt 
less  say,  '  Hail !  thou  art  highly  favored.'  And  ere  the  dead 
body  of  Torrey  had  reached  Boston,  and  been  denied  admis 
sion  to  the  'Park-street  House  [!!!!]  the  freed  spirit  of  Tor 
rey  had  arrived  at  heaven,  and  met  an  angel's  welcome. 

4  Hail,  brother !  hail  thou  son  of  happiness ! 
Thou  son  beloved  of  God !     Welcome  to  heaven  ! 
To  bliss  that  never  fades  5     Thy  day  is  past 
Of  trial  and  of  fear  to  fall.     Well  done. 
Good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  now 
Into  the  joy  eternal  of  thy  Lord. 
Come  with  us,  and  behold  far  higher  sight 
Than  ere  thy  heart  desired,  or  hope  conceived. 
See,  yonder  is  the  glorious  hill  of  God, 
'Bove  angels1  gaze  in  brightness  rising  high, 
Come,  join  our  wing,  and  we  will  guide  thy  flight 
To  mysteries  of  everlasting  bliss  ! 
The  tree  and  fount  of  Life,  the  eternal  throne, 
The  presence  chamber  of  the  King  of  kings.' 

"  As  Torrey' s  life  wrought  salvation  for  four  hundred 
slaves!  !  so  his  death  has  wrought  for  himself  a  speedy  as 
cension  to  the  glory  of  heaven.  And  as  to  his  mortal  re 
mains,  though  spurned  away  from  the  popular  sanctuary  of  a 
nominal  church,  they  fill  an  honored  grave,  and  the  tears  of 
the  four  hundred  will  keep  it  moist  and  green.  Posterity  too, 
will  honor  Torrey.  Even  the  Park-street  church  will,  a  few 
years  hence,  be  pressed  to  ask  his  forgiveness  at  the  door  of 
his  sepulchre.  His  death  will,  we  doubt  not,  work  together 
for  good  to  the  popular  Christianity -of  Boston.  It  has  devel 
oped  more  evidently,  a  feature  which  it  was  suspected  of  con 
taining,  put  his  aspersers  upon  reflection,  and  set  the  city 
to  thinking.  It  will  hasten  on  th«  anti-slavery  reform  in  the 
half-converted,  semi-penitent  Bay  State.  The  sermon  of  the 


340  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

Rev.  Mr.  Lovejoy  we  have  not  seen  ;  but,  preached  as  it  was 
by  the  brother  of  one  martyr,  over  the  dead  body  of  another, 
and  from  what  we  have  heard  said  of  it,  we  doubt  not  it  will 
move  the  heart  of  community  more  than  many  sermons,  even 
though  equally  talented,  preached  by  Lovejoy  and  Torrey 
both,  under  ordinary  circumstances.  To  the  millions  of  pin 
ing  slaves,  then,  Torrey's  death  will  prove  a  blessing.  His 
dungeon  was  better  for  them  than  his  study.  His  death-groan 
was  heard  through  the  nation ;  and  his  spirit  now  flits  in  the 
track  of  every  slave-holder  and  pro-slavery  minion,  from 
Maine  to  Texas.  Great  are  thy  honors,  Torrey  !  Little  did 
thine  enemies  think,  when  they  thrust  thee  into  prison,  that 
they  were  springing  a  mine  for  their  own  destruction.  Little 
did  they  think,  that  Haman  was  himself  to  swing  upon  the 
gallows  he  erected  for  Mordecai,  the  Jew.  But  thus  doth  it 
often  happen.  In  the  pit  which  the  wicked  <  dig  are  their  own 
feet  taken.'  And  who  but  can  devoutly  and  heartily  thank 
God  for  that  providential  government  which  makes  the  wick 
ed  thus  praise  him. 

"  But  it  is  not  always  that  we  can  perceive  the  operations 
by  which  all  things  are  made  to  work  together  for  the  good  of 
the  children  of  God.  These  are  sometimes  partially,  and 
sometimes  wholly  veiled  from  our  view.  '  What  I  do,  thou 
knowest  not  now.'  And  thus  it  is,  we  apprehend,  with  the 
widow  and  children  of  Torrey.  But  let  them  rest  in  God. 
It  is  a  blessing  to  them  to  know  that  a  husband  and  a  father 
is  forever  happy.  God,  who  tempereth  the  wind  to  the  shorn 
lamb,  will  not  disregard  the  condition  of  the  widow  and  or 
phan — and  especially  the  widow  and  the  orphans  of  one  of 
his  martyred  children.  Even  their  present  sorrow  shall — if 
they  love  God — turn  to  their  greatest  joy.  Weeping  may  en 
dure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the  morning.  In  another 
article,  we  may  notice  for  what  Torrey  died. — -M.  J.  3." 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS.  341 


[From  the  Same-] 

«  Martyrdom  of  Charles  T.  Torrey. — '  Die,  heretic  !'  said 
the  papal  soldier,  as  he  plunged  his  bayonet  to  the  heart  of 
the  Swiss  Reformer.  Die  !  wretch,  said  Southern  Law,  as 
it  saw  Torrey  expiring  in  the  prison  to  which  it  had  doomed 
him.  And  doubtless  Zuinglius  and  Torrey  will  stand  up  to 
gether  in  the  judgment  as  brother-martyrs. 

"  Hold !  cries  the  godless  legalist :  '  Torrey  died  a  culprit 
at  the  hand  of  civil  justice.'  To  this  we  reply,  that,  if  so, 
then  so  also  did  Zuinglius.  The  latter  was  as  guilty  in  the 
sight  of  Papal  law,  as  the  former  was  in  the  sight  of  Mary 
land  law.  So  that  Zuinglius  and  Torrey  still  stand  together. 
Let  Protestant  divines  say  where  they  must  stand.  What 
Popery  says  of  the  former,  Slavery  says  of  the  latter.  But 
what  Protestantism  says  of  the  former,  doubtless  God  says 
of  both,  '  They  shall  be  mine  in  the  day  when  I  make  up 
my  jewels/ 

"  Now  we  hope  all  our  readers  will  be  consistent,  and  ap 
ply  the  same  principles  in  judging  Torrcy,  that  they  do  in 
judging  martyrs  generally.  Milton  makes  his  devils  awfully 
consistent.  Slavery  can  be  consistent  with  itself, — and  con 
sistency  is  a  jewel,  though  it  hang  in  a  demon's  nostril.  We 
admire  it  even  there.  Let  us  suppose  a  case. 

"  Old  Massachusetts  makes  a  law  that  Deacon ,  of 

the  Park-street  Church,  Boston,  shall  be  a  slave,  and  as  such, 
sold  to  the  highest  bidder.  It  is  easy  to  suppose  this  case, 
nor  ought  the  supposition  to  be  regarded  as  very  extravagant, 
inasmuch  as  it  is  a  thing  so  often  realized  in  sister  States. 
But  the  Deacon,  will  not  <  down  at  their  bidding,'  and,  slip 
ping  through  their  hands,  consults  his  Pastor.  Now,  he  is 
abolitionist  enough  to  say,  '  My  advice,  Deacon,  is  to  flee  to  a 
free  State,  immediately.  Here,  take  this  money,  and  my 
horse,  and  haste  away  :  for  there  is  no  longer  any  safety  for 
you  here.'  The  Deacon  does  so.  Soon,  however,  it  is  whis- 
29* 


342  MEMOIR  OP  TORREY. 

pered  that  the  Pastor  helped  the  Deacon  off;  suspicion  fast 
ens  on  him,  and  he  is  in  Charlestown  prison.  Finally,  he  is 
tried,  condemned,  and  sentenced  to  a  long  imprisonment, 
but  being  of  delicate  habits,  he  soon  sinks  under  his  confine 
ment,  and  dies  a  companion  of  villains.  Even  they  are  mov 
ed  by  his  dying  groans  as  they  sound  along  the  frowning 
prison  aisles.  The  news  flies  along  the  streets  of  Boston, 
4Aiken  is  dead!'  The  authorities  graciously  permit  his  wife 
and  children  to  bury  the  body,  which  they  were  forbidden  to 
see  while  the  soul  was  in  it.  His  friends  wish  a  funeral  ser 
vice.  They  apply  for  the  Park-street  house ;  but  it  is  refus 
ed  them  ;  they  however  obtain  Tremont  Temple  ;  the  fune 
ral  is  solemnized,  and  Mr.  Aiken's  despised  remains  are  at 
length  lodged  at  Mount  Auburn. 

"  We  have  said  that  consistency  is  a  jewel.  And  beyond 
all  controversy,  it  demands  that  those  who  speak  of  Torrey 
as  dying  justly,  should  say  the  same  of  the  Pastor  of  the 
Park-street  church  in  the  case  supposed.  As  in  the  real  case, 
so  also  in  the  supposed  one,  the  doors  of  Park-street  church 
must  be  closed  against  the  funeral.  Now,  admitting  that  all 
others  think  that  this  is  all  right,  it  is  natural  to  inquire  what 
the  Deacon  thinks.  He  doubtless  would  think  of  his  mar 
tyred  Pastor  just  what  the  lfour  hundred'  think  of  Torrey. 

"  There  is  one  law  of  universal  obligation,  and  Almighty 
sanction.  It  is  this  :  '  Be  ye  merciful.'  Now,  whatever  laws 
Torrey  disobeyed,  he  did  not  disobey  this.  He  rather  kept 
it.  To  be  sure  there  was  another  law  which  said,  '  Be  ye  un- 
merciful.'  Torrey  could  not  keep  both.  Circumstanced  as 
he  was,  one  of  them  he  must  violate.  Now  of  these  two  laws, 
the  one  is  God's,  the  other  man's, — the  one  is  of  Christ,  the 
other  of  the  Devil.  Which  shall  be  obeyed  ?  Jesus  has  said, 
'  His  servants  ye  are  to  whom  ye  yield  yourselves  servants 
to  obey.'  He  who  serves  Satan  is  Satan's.  He  who  serves 
God  is  God's.  '  Ye  cannot  serve  God  and  mammon.'  Who 
can  blame  Torrey  for  preferring  God  to  mammon ;  Christ, 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS. 


343 


to  Belial  ?  Reader,  can  you  ? — Then  go  and  write  condem 
nation  upon  the  tombs  of  all  the  Prophets,  the  graves  of  all 
the  martyrs,  and  especially  upon  the  cross  of  the  Redeemer 
of  mankind. 

"  So  much,  Torrey,  in  vindication  of  thy  character  against 
the  aspersions  of  thine  enemies.  Accept  the  unworthy  ef 
fort,  not  for  thine  own  sake,  but  for  the  sake  of  the  cause  to 
which  thy  life  was  sacrificed. — M.  J.  s." 


[Baltimore  Correspondence.] 

"  Baltimore,  June  20,  1846. 

"  Mr.  Editor, — The  death  of  Torrey,  with  all  the  attend 
ing  circumstances,  has  produced  in  my  mind  a  strong  sensa 
tion.  It  is  to  me  one  of  the  most  important  events  I  have 
ever  known.  It  will  yet  prove  to  be  an  important  one  in  the 
history  of  humanity  and  benevolence.  In  the  closing  up  of 
the  great  drama  of  human  existence,  Torrey,  the  saint  and 
martyr,  will  be  seen — an  angel  of  mercy  standing  on  the  high 
way  of  life,  the  great  turnpike  to  eternity,  like  a  living  guide- 
board,  pointing  the  slave  to  freedom  and  the  sinner  to  heaven. 
*  Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  his  saints.' 
Now,  without  either  professing  to  be  an  acute  logician  or  pro 
found  metaphysician,  we  venture  to  grapple  with  the  whole 
subject,  and  solve  the  whole  problem  in  short  order,  in  rela 
tion  to  Torrey's  guilt  or  innocence.  And  we  will  prove  his 
innocence  of  guilt  or  sin — prove  him  to  have  fulfilled  the  com 
mand  of  God  in  a  preeminent  degree,  and  to  be  worthy  of  all 
honor.  Now  Torrey  was  no  common  man  ;  either  he  was  a 
great  sinner  or  a  great  philanthropist,  because  his  acts  were 
-  not  every-day,  commonplace  matters.  They  were  bold,  daring, 
heroic,  original.  What  did  Torrey  do  ?  He  fed  the  hungry, 
clothed  the  naked,  administered  to  the  sick,  disconsolate,  des 
titute,  afflicted  and  broken-hearted.  <  He  set  the  prisoner  free.' 


344  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

But  the  Book  of  God  says, i  And  whosoever  shall  give  to  drink 
unto  one  of  these  little  ones,  a  cup  of  cold  water  only,  in  the 
name  of  a  disciple,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  shall  in  no  wise 
lose  his  reward.'  We  find  that  the  rich  blessings  of  Heaven 
are  promised  to  those  who  do  the  very  acts  which  Torrey  did. 
Of  course,  it  is  as  plain  as  a  sunbeam  from  eternity,  illuminat 
ing  the  soul,  that  he  was  a  disciple  of  Christ,  an  eminent 
Christian  hero.  But  how  comes  it  to  pass,  if  Torrey  was  a 
good  man,  that  gentlemen  so  called,  men  of  wealth  and  influ 
ence — professing  Christians  even,  should  sneer,  reproach, 
vilify  and  persecute  him  unto  the  death  ?  Did  not  wicked  men 
deride,  insult,  and  crucify  the  Savior  of  the  world  ?  And 
did  not  He  himself  say,  '  the  disciple  is  not  above  his  master, 
nor  the  servant  above  his  lord  ?  And  he  that  taketh  not  his  cross 
and  followeth  after  me  is  not  worthy  of  me  ?'  But  we  learn 
something  of  the  character  of  our  friend  and  brother  by  an 
tithesis — by  contrasting  the  character  of  his  enemies  with  his. 
A  most  terrible  and  graphic  description  of  these  human  mon 
sters  is  found  in  the  following  heart-touching,  soul-stirring 
words,  written  as  with  a  pen  of  fire :  '  For  I  was  an  hungered, 
and  ye  gave  me  no  meat ;  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  no 
drink ;  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  not  in  ;  naked,  and 
ye  clothed  me  not ;  sick  and  in  prison,  and  ye  visited  me  not.' 
Oh  that  forlorn,  heart-rending  word,  strange?' !  How  it  sinks 
into  the  very  depths  of  the  soul,  as  we  apply  it  to  the  case  of 
the  poor  fugitive,  as  tired,  hungry,  thirsty,  faint  and  famish 
ing — a  crust  of  bread  would  appease  the  pangs  of  starvation, 
but  he  dare  not  ask  for  it.  If  he  should  call  at  the  '  big  house/ 
on  his  way,  would  the  rich  man  *  take  him  in,'  as  one  of 
Christ's  ( little  ones,'  and  minister  to  his  comfort?  No. 
Bloodhounds,  pistols  and  gunpowder,  savage  dogs  and  more 
savage  men,  would  rob  him  of  himself  again,  and  hurl  him 
back  to  hopeless  bondage.  Torrey  belonged  to  the  opposite 
class,  of  whom  it  shall  be  said :  *  for  I  was  an  hungered,  and 
ye  gave  me  meat ;  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink ;  I 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS.  345 

was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in ;  naked,  and  ye  clothed  me ; 
sick,  and  ye  visited  me ;  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto 
me.  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these 
my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me.'  Oh  what  a  climax  of 
glory  is  contained  in  these  words  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  an  act 
of  mercy  done  to  a  fellow-being  in  distress,  is  recognized  and 
rewarded  as  done  to  himself!  What  a  sublime  thought, 
what  a  blessed  consolation,  and  mighty  stimulant  to  obey  God 
rather  than  men  !  If  the  law  of  man  is  in  direct  opposition  to 
the  law  of  God,  what  shall  we  do  ?  We  must  obey  God,  though 
ten  thousand  jails,  penitentiaries  and  guillotines  stand  in  the 
way,  guarded  by  millions  of  '  prison  officials,'  wine-bibbing 
lawyers,  judges  and  governors,  pro-slavery  doctors  of  divinity, 
and  gambling  statesmen.  And  though  all  hell  is  moved  to  aid 
the  terrific  combat,  and  legions  of  evil  spirits  surround  the 
path  of  the  good  man,  yet  he  shall  walk  through  the  whole 
unharmed,  and  God  will  be  his  shield  all  through  the  conflict, 
and  give  him  peace  and  conquest — eternal  peace  and  blissful 
triumph.  If  men  would  implicitly  believe  the  words  of  Jesus 
Christ  as  they  believe  a  simple  mathematical  truth,  and  act 
up  to  it  fully,  as  did  Torrey — throwing  the  whole  energies  of 
soul  and  body  into  the  mighty  effort — one  anti-slavery  man 
would  put  a  thousand  foes  to  flight,  and  two  chase  ten  thousand ! 
But  the  truth  is,  nine-tenths  of  us  are  sneaking  cowards,  afraid 
of  our  own  shadows.  We  might  storm  the  infernal  castle  of 
slavery  in  the  next  twelve  months,  and  make  the  blood-stained 
soul  of  the  guilty  slaveholder  *  quake  with  most  terrific  fear/ 
Let  us  all  say  with  the  Psalmist,  '  I  will  not  fear  what  man 
can  do  unto  me.'  What  is  the  utmost  that  wicked  men  can 
do  ?  They  can  persecute,  imprison,  whip  and  kill  us.  This 
is  all  cruel  and  hard  to  endure  ;  but  not  so  hard  as  the  fires 
of  hell  which  must  consume  the  vitals  of  the  relentless  op 
pressor,  and  all  ungodly  men,  in  the  great  and  terrible  day  of 
eternal  justice  and  retribution.  What  is  a  State  prison  or 
penitentiary  to  an  innocent  man — coolly  and  philosophically 


346  MEMOIR  OP  TORRET. 

considered  ?  Nothing  but  a  good-sized  genteel  building,  where 
a  man  has  plain,  wholesome  fare,  in  compensation  for  mode 
rate  hard  labor.  Not  so  very  bad,  after  all.  I  had  infinitely 
rather  go  to  the  prison  to-morrow,  and  suffer  all  Torrey  suf 
fered,  than  to  live  in  luxury,  power  and  splendor,  and  go  to 
hell  at  last, 

'  Let  us  then  be  up  and  doing, 
"With  a  heart  for  any  fate.' 

"  Torrey,  in  his  life-time,  set  hundreds  free.  They  and 
their  children's  children,  through  all  coming  time,  shall  rise  up 
and  call  him  blessed.  His  death  will  infuse  new  life  into  thou 
sands,  and  plunge  the  dagger  into  the  devil-heart  of  American 
slavery,  and  hasten  its  infernal  death-pang.  May  God  in 
mercy  multiply  the  Torreyites  a  thousand-fold  per  annum, 
and  speed  the  operations  of  the  Patent  Rail-road  to  freedom  ! 
Amen. 

A  CITIZEN  OF  MARYLAND. 


[From  a  Newspaper.] 

"  Rev.  Charles  T.  Torrey. — Granting  that  it  was  a  crime 
worthy  of  punishment  that  consigned  this  friend  of  liberty  and 
humanity  to  the  gloomy  walls  of  his  prison  abode,  all  our 
sympathies  must  be  awakened  for  the  criminal,  when,  with 
the  demands  of  justice,  are  mingled  the  stern  exactions  of 
revenge. 

"  It  is  not  our  purpose  to  denounce  individuals  who  uphold 
slavery,  but  the  system  itself.  '  By  their  fruits  shall  ye  know 
them,'  said  He  who  spake  as  never  man  spake ;  and  as  we 
chronicle  this  manifestation  of  the  vindictive  spirit  which  de 
nied  to  Torrey  the  poor  boon  of  spending  the  few  remaining 
days  of  his  existence  beyond  the  precincts  of  the  prison  house, 
even  when  ample  restitution  is  offered  for  the  value  of  slaves 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS.  347 

who  escaped  from  bondage  through  his  agency,  we  cannot  re 
frain  from  holding  it  up  to  the  gaze  of  the  world  as  a  sample 
of  the  bitter  fruit  from  that  accursed  tree,  whose  dark  and 
gloomy  shadows  cast  a  blight  and  mildew  upon  all  that  is  fair 
and  beautiful  both  in  the  natural  and  moral  world. 

"  One  would  think  that  in  this  case  enough  had  been  done 
already  to  vindicate  every  claim  of  justice ;  that  the  iron 
rigor  of  the  law  would  relent  a  little  in  view  of  all  the  afflict 
ing  circumstances  connected  with  this  appeal  for  mercy ;  but 
no,  the  inexorable  decree  of  the  slave  power  is  deaf  to  every 
appeal  of  humanity  or  affection  ;  and  demands,  like  the  unre 
lenting  Shylock,  the  pound  of  flesh  cut  from  the  heart  of  its 
victim. 

'  The  character  of  mercy,'  which  the  poet  tells  us, '  is  not  strained, 
But  droppeth  as  the  gentle  dew  from  heaven,' 

cannot  soften  the  heart,  feelings  or  affections,  of  men  who 
have  imbibed  the  seeds  of  tyranny  in  youth  ;  who  from  their 
earliest  childhood  have  been  taught  to  regard  their  fellow 
creatures  as  brutes  of  the  field,  and  the  tears  and  cries  of  suf 
fering  humanity,  in  the  same  light  as  the  cries  of  a  crocodile 
or  the  bleating  of  a  lamb.  No  wonder  that  men  who  have 
received  an  education  that  destroys  the  finer  feelings  of  the 
heart,  blunting  all  its  perceptions  of  duty,  humanity  and  mercy, 
should  be  proof  against  a  righteous  demand  or  generous  im 
pression,  even  when  that  demand  is  made  or  impression 
sought,  through  the  influence  of  woman's  undying  affection, 
pleading  with  all  the  eloquence  of  wo,  for  the  release  of  a  dy 
ing  husband ;  asking  only  that  ere  those  eyes  be  closed  in 
death  forever,  they  may  again  behold  the  beautiful  green 
earth,  and  look  upon  the  glad  face  of  nature  unfettered  and 
unconfined,  and  that  the  fevered  brow  may  once  more  be 
bathed  by  the  balmy  breath  of  spring,  fresh  from  the  hill  tops 
and  the  fields. 

"  Kings  and  emperors  have  felt  how  blessed  a  thing  for- 


348  MEMOIR  OF   TORRET. 

giveness  is.  The  autocrat  of  semi-barbarous  Russia  has  been 
often  known  to  heed  the  persuasive  eloquence  of  woman's 
tears  and  sorrows.  The  pleading  looks  and  tones  of  Poca- 
hontas,  could  soften  the  rude,  stern  nature  of  her  warrior  sire, 
and  avert  the  impending  death  blow.  But  the  reputed  Chris 
tian  governor  of  a  reputed  Christian  State  cannot,  or  dare 
not  put  forth  his  hand  in  the  exercise  of  that  prerogative 
with  which  he  is  vested,  to  open  the  prison  doors  of  the  dy 
ing  disciple  of  the  meek  and  lowly  one,  whose  injunctions  he 
sought  to  obey,  and  for  whose  cause  he  suffers. 

"  The  decrees  of  the  Slave  power  are  harder  and  sterner 
than  aught  else.  And  while  this  manifestation  of  that  inex 
orable  will  which  the  tears  of  the  widow  and  the  fatherless 
cannot  soften,  is  before  our  eyes,  we  would  commend  to  the 
sober  reflections  of  every  thinking  mind  the  whole  subject  of 
slavery.  What,  but  that  narrow-minded  selfishness  which 
forms  the  basis  of  that  system  of  wrong  and  oppression, 
which  holds  three  millions  of  men  in  bondage,  and  robs  them 
of  every  right ;  and  in  the  face  of  reason  and  revelation, 
maintains  that  it  is  no  sin,  could  render  the  human  heart  as 
hard  as  the  granite  of  our  hills  ;  impregnable  to  every  feeling 
of  kindness,  and  every  emotion  of  tenderness  and  mercy? — 
gloating  over  the  pangs  of  mortal  suffering  that  it  inflicts, 
even  in  the  dying  hour,  and  refusing  to  affection's  plea,  the 
privilege  of  the  last  embrace  beyond  the  walls  of  a  prison. 
Friends  of  humanity  !  will  you  not  heed  this  latest  exhibition 
of  inhuman  tyranny,  on  the  part  of  the  slaveocracy  of  this 
Union  ?  Will  you  still  countenance  by  your  silence,  if  not 
by  your  words  and  acts,  that  system,  which  is  the  deadliest 
foe  to  humanity,  and  which  inflicts  the  penalties  of  its  dis 
pleasure  with  all  the  unrelenting  barbarity  of  savage  life  ? 
While  you  have  the  power  through  moral  means,  by  the  sim 
ple  utterance  of  your  thoughts  and  opinions,  to  do  away  with 
this  great  national  abomination,  will  you  not  use  it  ? 

"  '  Every  tree  that  bringeth   not  forth  good  fruit  is  hewn 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS.  349 

down  and  cast  into  the  fire/  The  day  of  retribution  must 
come !  We  at  the  north,  as  well  as  those  at  the  south,  are  com 
pelled  daily  to  eat  of  this  bitter  fruit,  and  through  us  let  the 
scripture  be  fulfilled.  There  is  moral  power  enough  in  this 
country,  if  it  can  only  have  the  right  direction,  to  overthrow 
the  whole  system  of  human  slavery.  Let  us  jealously  guard 
every  invasion  of  our  rights  as  men  ;  let  us  not  hold  our 
peace,  when  a  great  and  grievous  wrong  is  to  be  done.  Let 
every  new  demonstration  of  wickedness  or  assumption  of  pow 
er,  but  serve  to  incite  us  to  persevere  in  the  cause  of  human 
ity,  and  ere  long  the  right  shall  triumph,  and  the  rod  of  the 
oppressor  be  broken,  and  the  slave  go  free. — T.  D." 


[From  the  Albany  Journal.] 

"  Funeral  of  Rev.  Mr.  Torrey. — The  body  of  Rev.  Charles 
T.  Torrey,  who  recently  died  in  the  Maryland  Penitentiary,, 
was  conveyed  to  Boston,  where  the  funeral  took  place  on  Mon 
day  last.  The  Atlas  says  — t  The  exercises  were  conducted  at 
the  Tremont  Temple,  and  in  a  solemn  and  impressive  man 
ner.  Two  original  hymns  were  sung,  a  portion  of  the  Scrip 
tures  was  read,  and  a  sermon  delivered  by  the  Rev.  J.  C. 
Lovejoy.  The  body  of  the  deceased,  after  the  solemnities 
had  been  concluded,  were  removed  to  Mount  Auburn.'  The 
fate  of  Mr.  T.  was  a  hard  one.  He  was  a  man  of  enlarged 
benevolence,  and  a  true  Christian.  His  sympathy  for  the  op 
pressed  slaves  might  have  led  him  to  adopt  an  improper 
course  of  action  in  his  endeavors  to  ameliorate  their  condition.. 
But  he  was  far  more  '  sinned  against  than  sinning.'  For  ad 
vising  the  victim  of  avarice  and  cruelty,  how  he  might  be-, 
freed  from  oppression,  Mr.  Torrey  has  been  made  the  victim 
of  laws  which  disgrace  the  statute  book  of  a  civilized  people. 
But  for  him  who  wrongs  the  free  black  of  the  north,  and  sells 

30 


350  MEMOIR    OF  TORRET. 

him  into  hopeless  slavery  for  non-payment  of  jail  fees,  these 
same  laws  prescribe  no  punishment !" 


[From  the  (Hartford)  Religious  Herald.] 

"  A  Comparison. — About  seventy  years  ago,  the  people  of 
the  United  States,  then  colonies  of  Great  Britain,  conceiving 
themselves  to  be  oppressed  and  maltreated  by  the  mother  coun 
try,  determined  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  bondage,  and  assert 
their  just  claim  to  the  exercise  of  those  '  inalienable  rights' 
of  which  she  sought  to  deprive  them.  In  carrying  out  their 
purpose,  they  found  it  necessary  to  struggle  long  and  wearily 
against  the  whole  power  of  their  unnatural  parent,  and  at 
times,  it  seemed  as  if  success,  in  their  endeavor  after  freedom, 
was  utterly  hopeless.  The  tidings  of  this  conflict  for  liberty 
went  across  the  ocean,  and  reached  the  ears  of  a  young 
French  Marquis,  named  Gilbert  Mottier  Lafayette.  His 
generous  soul  at  once  overflowed  with  sympathy  for  the  op 
pressed,  and  leaving  home,  friends  and  country  behind  him, 
he  hastened  to  the  aid  of  our  struggling  fathers,  stood  by 
their  side  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  shed  his  blood  in  their 
cause  as  freely  as  if  it  had  been  his  own.  This  was  noble 
conduct,  and  he  had  his  reward.  When  after  the  lapse  of 
many  years  he  came  again  among  us,  the  whole  nation  wax 
ed  almost  delirious  in  its  gratitude.  'A  universal  three 
times  three'  rang  in  his  ears  wherever  he  went ;  at  his  de 
parture,  countless  blessings  followed  his  path  across  the  sea, 
and  when  but  a  few  years  later,  the  sad  intelligence  of  his 
death  was  brought,  the  whole  land  clothed  itself  in  mourning, 
and  the  bells  in  all  steeples  tolled  forth  the  sorrow  of  all 
hearts. 

"  Look  on  that  picture,  and  now  on  this. 
"  In  the  southern  States  of  this  Union,  there  is  a  body  of 
men  called  slaves.     In  number  they  equal  the  whole  popula 
tion  of  this  country  at  the  time  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS.  351 

pendence.       Some  of  these  slaves  have  taken  up  the  idea 
that  they  are   oppressed  and  wrongfully  treated — that  they 
are  kept  back  from  the  exercise  of  certain  inalienable  rights, 
such  as  '  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness  ;'  and  with  this 
impression  strongly  fixed  in  their  minds,  they  are  watching 
for  every  favorable  opportunity  to  assert  their  rights  ;  not  as 
our  fathers  did,  by  coming  into  open  conflict  with  their  op 
pressors,  but  by  simply  removing  away  from  their  reach,  and 
taking  refuge  in  a  land  where  the  law  allows  them  the  own 
ership  of  themselves.     A  young  clergyman  of  Massachusetts, 
Charles   T.  Torrey,  by  name,  had  his  attention  directed  a 
short  time  ago,  to  these  abused  and  suffering  slaves.      He 
knew  of  their  efforts  after  freedom.     His  noble  heart  burned 
within  him  at  their  wrongs,  and  gave  him  no  rest,  until  leav 
ing  his  native  State,  his  wife,  his  friends,  and  every  thing 
else  behind,  he  devoted  himself  to  the  good  work  of  aiding 
fugitives   from  slavery  to  secure  the  blessings  of  freedom. 
But  he  was  unfortunate.     He  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  mer 
ciless  demon  of  Slavery,  and  the  pound  of  flesh,  which  the 
law  allowed,  and  the  court  awarded,  was  cut  from  his  bosom 
*  nearest  his  heart ;'    yea,  even  to  the  '  twentieth  part  of  one 
poor  scruple.'     Had  he  been  guilty  of  any  other  crime  than 
this ;    instead  of  helping  slaves  to  their  freedom,  had  he  de- 
descended  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  and  converted  hundreds  of 
freemen  into  slaves,  there  can  scarcely  be  a  doubt  but  that  he 
would,  in  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  his  case,  have  been 
pardoned  out  of  prison,  and  suffered  to  die,  at  least,  in  the 
bosom  of  his  family.     But,  no  ;  the  guilt  of  being  a  friend  to 
the  friendless,  and  a  helper  to  the  helpless,  was  charged  and 
proved  upon  him,  and  not  even  the  shadow  of  approaching 
death  upon  his  hollow  cheeks,  could  win  from  his  tormentors 
one  word,  or  look,  of  pity.     He  died ;  he  was  murdered  by  a 
law  which  came  up  from  the  lowest  depths  of  hell ;    that  was 
his  reward  ! 

"  Question  I.     Did  our  revolutionary  fathers  suffer  an  op- 


352  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

pression  more  severe  than  that  which  three  millions  of  slaves 
are  now  enduring  at  the  South  ? 

"  Question  II.  If  it  was  right  for  our  ancestors  to  cast  off 
the  authority  of  Great  Britain,  and  achieve  their  independ 
ence  by  force,  can  it  be  wrong  for  southern  slaves  to  escape, 
in  a  quiet  and  peaceful  way,  from  the  bondage  of  their  op 
pressors  ? 

"  Question  III.  If  it  was  noble  in  Lafayette  to  leave  his 
country  and  his  friends,  and  mingle  in  a  conflict  with  which 
he  had  no  personal  concern,  merely  because  his  generous  na 
ture  prompted  him  to  succor  the  distressed ;  was  it  otherwise 
for  Torrey  to  do  the  same,  in  behalf  of  men  who  were  infi 
nitely  more  wronged  and  outraged  than  those  whom  the  gal 
lant  Frenchman  came  to  help  ? 

"  Question  IV.  If  Torrey  violated  the  laws  of  Maryland, 
did  not  Lafayette  to  a  yet  greater  extent,  violate  the  laws  of 
Great  Britain,  and  were  the  former  more  worthy  of  respect 
and  obedience,  and  less  oppressive  and  cruel  than  the  latter  ? 

"  And  yet  there  are  papers — religious  papers — very  reli 
gious  papers — papers  of  the  most  orthodox  stamp — papers 
that  smell  the  slightest  taint  of  a  doctrinal  heresy  afar  off, 
and  make  as  much  ado  about  it  as  if  the  very  heavens  were 
falling ;  which  can  record  the  death  of  Torrey,  without  one 
word  to  indicate  that  they  do  not  regard  it  as  having  happened 
in  the  very  properest  way  imaginable.  '  We  have  a  large 
circulation  at  the  south,  and  it  is  not  prudent  to  say  anything 
which  will  offend  the  prejudices  of  our  slaveholding  patrons, 
and  stop  the  influx  of  their  money  to  our  pockets.'  Never 
theless,  gentlemen,  it  seems  to  us  that  Christians  ought  to 
have  hearts,  as  well  as  pockets.  For  ourselves,  no  prudential 
considerations  whatever,  shall  restrain  us  from  uttering  our 
abhorrence  of  the  Maryland  slaveholders,  and  of  the  laws 
which  they  have  framed  and  executed  with  such  deadly  vin- 
dictiveness.  We  will  never  cease  to  bear  our  testimony 
against  that  monstrous  system  of  oppression  which  over- 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS. 


353 


shadows  half  our  land,  while  we  have  breath  for  words,  or 
while  our  hand  can  hold  a  pen." 


[From  the  Liberty  Standard.] 

"  The  Great  Murder. — The  atrocious  murder  of  poor  Tor 
rey,  by  slaveholders,  is  producing  a  deep  interest  among  the 
people,  and  that  is  right.  Large  numbers  of  ministers  are 
preaching  appropriate  discourses  with  reference  to  it,  and  it 
is  hoped  others  will  follow  their  example. — He  is  the  THIRD 
MARTYR  to  slavery,  and  ALL  FROM  THE  PULPIT.  Is  it  not 
time  for  the  pulpit  to  speak  ?  Torrey  was  a  noble  man — 
with  a  great  heart,  talented  and  self-sacrificing,  and  he  died  a 
Christian  hero. — But  '  he  was  imprudent.'  So  is  the  man 
who  dashes  into  the  sea  to  save  your  child,  and  rises  not ! 
So  was  Luther — so  was  Jerome  of  Prague,  who  was  burnt 
to  ashes — so  was  Lovejoy — so  were  other  martyrs. — Away 
with  such  quibbling  casuistry  !  A  poor  robbed  fugitive  from 
southern  knavery — with  the  heart  of  a  true  husband,  was 
begging  in  New  York  for  money  to  buy  his  wife.  Torrey's 
great,  indignant  heart  bounded  in  his  bosom — '  Where  is  she?' 
said  he.  '  I  will  have  her  here  in  five  days  !'  It  was  done! 
Was  it  not  NOBLE — SUBLIME  ? — Ask  your  heart,  if  you  have 
one.  Ought  he  to  die  for  that  ?  Then  swear  '  by  Torrey's 
death,'  to  avenge  his  blood  on  slavery.  Away  with  your  hesi 
tation — it's  too  late.  Now  put  on  the  armor  which  God  has 
allowed  Torrey  to  put  off. 

"  His  funeral  in  Boston  was  a  great  meeting — the  great 
Tremont  Temple  was  crowded  to  overflowing  with  a  deeply 
affected  audience,  and  Mr.  Lovejoy's  discourse  is  spoken  of 
in  high  terms.  A  contribution  was  taken  to  defray  the  ex 
penses  of  the  funeral,  and  to  erect  a  plain  monument  over  his 
grave  at  Mount  Auburn.  The  money  raised  to  procure  Mr. 
T.'s  release,  is  to  be  invested  for  his  children.  Twenty  dol 
lars  of  it  were  raised  in  this  town,  and  we  are  sure  the  con- 
30* 


354  MEMOIR  OF  TORREY. 

tributors  will  feel  a  rich  reward. — A  great  meeting  was  held 
in  Faneuil  Hall  on  the  evening  of  Monday,  of  which  we  shall 
ihave  an  account — and  also  of  the  funeral  next  week." 


[From  the  Ohio  Standard.] 

"  Another  Victim. — Charles  T.  Torrey  is  dead — a  martyr 
to  the  holiest  principles  of  religion  and  liberty — a  victim  to 
the  vengeance  of  the  bloodiest  tyranny  that  ever  escaped  from 
hell  to  defy  Heaven  and  prey  upon  man.  His  pure  spirit  is 
at  last  free  from  the  malice  of  his  enemies,  and  at  rest  in  the 
bosom  of  his  God.  If  the  soul  of  American  liberty  had  not 
long  since  departed — if  there  remained  yet  any  of  that  fire 
that  glowed  in  the  bosoms  of  our  Hancock,  and  Adams,  and 
Henry,  the  American  people  would  clothe  themselves  in  sack 
cloth  and  ashes,  and  go  down  upon  their  knees  in  mourning. 
Cannot  some  one  be  found  whose  repentance  and  intercession, 
as  did  that  of  Jonah  in  respect  to  Nineveh,  will  avail  to  avert 
the  righteous  calamities  that  otherwise  threaten  this  nation  ? 
What  will  posterity  think  of  it  ?  In  the  light  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  in  the  most  free  republic  of  the  earth,  a  Christian 
minister  incarcerated  in  a  dungeon  with  felons,  on  a  charge 
of  assisting  his  enslaved  brother  to  his  freedom  !  A  free  citi 
zen  of  a  democracy  a  prisoner  for  life,  for  believing  that  '  all 
men  are  born  free  and  equal,  and  endowed  Jby  their  Creator 
•with  certain  inalienable  rights,  among  which  are  life,  liberty, 
and  the  pursuit  of  happiness." 

"A  Christian  minister,  in  a  Christian  land,  doomed  to 
an  infamous  and  life-long  captivity  for  obeying  God  rather 
than  men,  doing  unto  others  as  he  would  that  others  should 
do  unto  him.  Great  God !  can  the  wickedness  of  such  hy 
pocrisy  ever  be  atoned  for,  or  forgiven  ?  Freemen  of  Ohio  ! 
you  will  be  partakers  of  its  punishment  and  disgrace,  as  you 
are  in  its  sin  !  Arouse  yourselves  and  strive,  if  by  any  means 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS.  355 

you  may  avert  from  yourselves,  your  country,  and  the  age, 
the  judgments  of  a  God  too  righteous  to  look  with  favor  upon 
such  iniquity  and  the  infamy,  which  impartial  history  must 
award  you." 


[From  Cassius  M.  Clay's  True  American.] 
«  Rev.  C.  T.  Torrey.— The  captive  is  at  length  free.    Tor- 
rey  breathed  his  last  in  the  prison  of  Baltimore,  on  Saturday 
the  9th. 

"  His  was  a  hard  lot.  Pure  in  life  and  benevolent  in  ah1 
his  feelings,  he  did  no  wrong  to  any  human  being,  and  sought 
ever  to  administer  to  the  wants  of  the  needy,  and  soothe  the 
sufferings  of  the  sad. 

"  His  friends  believed  him  entirely  innocent  of  the  charge 
of  which  he  was  convicted.  He  was  a  devoted  friend  of  lib 
erty.  He  sympathized  with  master  and  man.  But  neither 
his  devotion  nor  his  sympathy  could  have  led  him,  those  who 
knew  aver,  into  any  deed  of  violence,  or  to  the  commission 
of  any  act  of  injustice.  Yet,  with  this  character  substantiated 
at  the  hour  of  his  trial,  he  was  found  guilty,  and  died  in 
prison ! 

"  There  were  those,  unconnected  with  his  home,  class 
mates  and  friends,  who  offered  money  to  the  slaveholder  who 
accused  him,  if  he  would  consent  to  his  release.  But  this  boon 
was  denied  them.  There  were  those  besides  at  his  home,  his 
aged  parents,  his  wife,  and  his  little  ones,  who  prayed  the 
governor  of  Maryland,  as  kindred  only  knew  how  to  pray, 
for  his  pardon.  This  was  denied.  And  then  came  the  sharper 
trial  of  all.  Disease  seized  upon  the  prisoner  in  the  chilly  air 
and  murky  gloominess  of  his  prison  cell.  Fever  was  upon  his 
brow,  and  he  knew,  as  his  friends  saw,  that  life  was  ebbing 
fast.  Unmoved,  he  bowed  to  death's  stern  decree.  But  one 
prayer  to  man  he  made,  and  that  was,  that  he  might  die  in 
the  bosom  of  his  family ;  and  this  prayer  was  unheeded, 


356  MEMOIR  OP  TORRE Y. 

and  away  from  friends,  and  home,  and  name,  he  passed  away, 
a  captive  on  earth,  to  freedom  in  heaven. 

"  One  of  the  worst  features  in  slavery  is  the  iron  vindic- 
tiveness  with  which  it  pursues  those  who  interfere  with  it. 
It  has  no  ear  then  for  mercy.  It  knows  no  gentleness.  Aveng 
ing,  avaricious,  cruel,  it  turns  away  from  every  appeal,  and 
shuts  its  heart  to  every  sympathy.  It  sees  only  supposed  guilt, 
and  gluts  itself  in  wreaking  vengeance  upon  its  victim.  Poor 
Torrey  ! — Death  did  for  thee,  what  the  slaveholder  denied ; 
he  gave  thee  freedom.  And  yet  at  the  footstool  of  thy  God, 
if  friends  do  not  misrepresent  thee,  thy  prayer  will  be  heard, 
in  intercession  for  those  who  have  wronged  thee." 


[From  the  Boston  Daily  Mail.] 

"  Rev.  G.  T.  Torrey. — We  have  already  chronicled  the  death 
of  Rev.  Charles  T.  Torrey  in  the  Maryland  penitentiary, 
where  he  had  been  imprisoned  for  aiding  the  escape  of  negro 
slaves.  There  are  circumstances  which,  perhaps,  render  it 
proper  that  we  should  give  a  more  particular  notice  of  him. 
He  was  employed  to  write  the  Washington  correspondence  of 
this  paper  in  the  winter  of  1842  ;  and  his  letters  were  much 
sought  after,  and  more  generally  copied  than  the  ordinary 
correspondence  of  the  newspapers.  There  was  a  raciness,  a 
piquancy,  and  an  independence  in  the  spirit  of  his  remarks, 
which  rendered  them  quite  popular ;  but  owing  to  the  pecu 
liar  views  of  the  writer  on  the  slavery  question,  we  were 
obliged  to  exercise  a  surveillance  over  them,  and  to  expunge 
much  matter  which  was  indicative  of  the  man.  Our  under 
standing  with  him  was,  that  he  should  confine  himself  to  con 
gressional  proceeding,  and  matters  of  general  interest  at 
Washington ;  but  his  heart  was  so  full  of  his  loved  subject, 
the  abolition  of  slavery,  that  it  would  <  shine  out'  in  spite  of 
him.  But  he  never  complained  when  we  applied  the  pruning 


VOICE  OF  THE  PRESS. 


357 


knife  to  his  letters ;  because  he  knew,  and  repeatedly  ac 
knowledged  that,  as  we  employed  and  paid  him  for  a  particu 
lar  line  of  correspondence,  we  had  a  perfect  right  to  keep  him 
to  his  bargain.  After  his  return  from  Washington,  he  was 
employed  to  conduct  an  abolitionist  paper  at  Albany,  called 
the  <  Patriot ;'  but  with  all  his  talents,  he  lacked  the  judg 
ment  and  discretion,  and  abandoned  it. 

"  In  all  our  knowledge  of  mankind,  we  have  never  known 
one  possessing  a  more  generous  heart  or  a  more  independent 
spirit  than  Charles  T.  Torrey.  He  was  open,  free,  and  above 
all  disguise  or  fraud.  He  loved  the  truth,  and  he  spoke  what 
he  believed  to  be  the  truth,  at  all  times,  in  all  places,  and  un 
der  all  circumstances.  His  hallucination  on  the  subject  of 
slavery,  did  not  rob  him  of  the  amiability  of  temper  and  de 
portment  which  rendered  him  so  well  beloved  among  his  large 
circle  of  personal  friends.  He  detested  fraud  and  hypocrisy 
wherever  they  exhibit  themselves ;  and  he  loved  the  beautiful 
and  bright  things  of  earth,  and  wondered  why  all  mankind 
would  not  be  good,  virtuous,  contented  and  happy.  He  was 
the  author  of  several  moral  tales,  one  of  which  we  published, 
all  showing  the  ardent  temperament  and  high  moral  principle 
of  the  man.  Even  on  the  subject  nearest  his  heart,  he  was 
not  vindictive  towards  the  slaveholders.  He  believed  that,  by 
persuading  the  slaves  to  abandon  their  masters,  he  was  con 
tributing  to  the  temporal  and  eternal  benefit  of  both. 

"  We  saw  him  a  few  months  previous  to  his  arrest,  and  he 
talked  as  freely  of  his  plans  of  running  the  <  underground 
railroad,'  as  he  termed  it,  as  though  it  was  attended  by  no 
danger,  and  coupled  with  no  violation  of  the  law.  We  ear 
nestly  but  kindly  remonstrated  with  him.  We  pointed  out  the 
dangers  and  difficulties  of  the  experiment.  We  admonished 
him  that  he  was  violating  what  every  citizen  was  bound  to 
protect.  We  appealed  in  behalf  of  the  wife  he  loved  and  the 
friends  who  loved  him.  But  it  was  all  in  vain.  He  was  fear 
less  of  consequences,  and  apparently  ready  and  willing  to  be- 


358  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

come  a  martyr  to  the  cause.  It  was  with  a  heavy  heart  that 
we  parted  with  him  on  that  occasion ;  for  we  well  feared  what 
must  be  the  consequence  of  his  daring  and  reckless  career. 
And  when,  a  short  time  afterwards,  we  heard  of  his  arrest,  it 
occasioned  a  good  deal  more  of  sorrow  than  surprise.  His 
subsequent  history  is  before  the  public.  He  has  gone  to  his 
last  account  with  that  Being  who  judges  the  heart;  and  who, 
we  doubt  not,  will  mete  out  to  him  the  reward  of  a  pure  and 
virtuous  life." 


[From  the  Emancipator.] 
CHARLES  TURNER  TORREY. 

"  The  Governor  of  Maryland  has  refused  to  pardon  poor  Torrey,  and 
he  must  soon  die." 

BY  REV.  M.  TRAFTON. 

Aye,  let  him  die;  his  work  will  then 
Be  finished,  and  his  task  fulfilled ; 
His  life  belongs  to  God,  and  when 
HE  wills  shall  that  strong  heart  be  stilled : 
Dream  not  the  tearless  tyrant  can 
Take  the  sealed  life  of  such  a  man. 

Aye,  let  him  die !  the  broken  heart 
Of  that  young  wife  bleeds  not  in  vain : 
From  that  warm  fount  a  stream  shall  start 
To  wash  out  slavery's  crimson  stain. 
Beyond  the  craven  coward's  look, 
God  hath  a  purpose  in  his  book. 

Aye,  let  him  die  !  those  infants'  prayer, 
Spurned  by  the  tyrant,  cannot  die ! 
Heaven  heard  the  lisping  infants  there, 
Their  plea  is  registered  on  high. 
Those  whispers  into  storms  shall  swell, 
And  thunder  SLAVERY'S  final  knell. 

Aye,  let  him  die !  thus  must  it  be  ! 
Why  do  ye  look  for  mercy  there  ? 
Why  did  ye  ask  ? — why  bow  the  knee  ?— 


POETRY.  359 

Ye  should  have  known  they'd  spurn  your  prayer. 

Ask  the  hyena  to  forbear, 

His  helpless,  bleeding  victim  spare. 

Aye,  let  him  die  !    Yet  O,  for  him 
'Twere  better  could  he  die  at  home  ! 
And  as  his  fading  eye  grows  dim, 
To  feel,  '  Thank  God,  I'm  not  alone: 
But  O,  for  others — let  it  be — 
He  yet  shall  set  his  thousands  free  ! 

Aye,  he  must  die  !    A  holocaust 
Is  wanted  now  for  freedom's  altar  : 
"When,  by  the  stirring  tempest  tossed, 
Who  ever  saw  HIM  pale — or  falter  ? 
Now  in  the  crisis  shall  he  fly  ? 
No — never — he  would  choose  to  die. 

Aye,  he  will  die !   the  martyr's  way 
Lies  bright  and  beautiful  before  him  : 
And  He  who  was  the  martyr's  stay, 
His  aegis  now  is  throwing  o'er  him. 
0,  his  will  be  a  deathless  fame  ; 
Men  yet  will  start  to  hear  that  name. 

He  falls,  but  dies  not !  from  that  cell 
Damp,  poisonous,  loathsome,  yet  shall  ring 
A  startling  cry  o'er  hill  and  dell, 
Which  e'en  the  dead  to  life  shall  bring : 
To  freedom's  shrine,  with  panting  breath, 
They  haste  to  swear  '  BY  TORREY'S  DEATH  !' 


[From  the  Barre  Gazette.] 
CHARLES  TURNER  TORREY. 
TORREY,  thy  dismal  dungeon  walls  are  riven, 
And  angel-wings  have  borne  thee  safe  to  heaven. 
Unfettered  now  the  unfranchised  spirit  flies 
To  fadeless  fields  and  ever-shining  skies. 
I  think  I  see  the  sainted,  martyred  host 
Who  gave  their  lives  to  gain  the  immortal  coast, 
From  Heaven's  high  battlements  bend  gently  down, 
And  shout  him  welcome  to  a  glittering  crown. 


360  MEMOIR  OP  TORRE Y. 

The  joyous  plaudit  of  '  well  done',  is  given, 
And  '  enter  to  thy  rest'  resounds  through  heaven. 
No  more  shall  cells  and  bars,  and  bolts,  control 
The  noble  energies,  which  swayed  his  soul, — 
His  philanthropic  mind  no  more  is  pained 
With  the  sad  sight  of  fellow-beings  chained. 
Land  of  the  free !  are  these  thy  noble  deeds  ? 
And  have  your  sons  no  tear  when  virtue  bleeds "? 
Look  on  the  martyred  Torrey ! — see  him  fade 
As  days  move  on,  in  cells  for  felons  made  ! 
And  as  the  lustre  languished  in  his  eye, 
Nor  faithful  friend,  nor  tender  consort  by 
That  bed  of  death.    Alone  the  sufferer  trod 
The  gloomy  path,  which  leads  our  souls  to  God. 
His  only  crime  to  loose  the  captive's  chain, 
And  help  the  slave  his  native  rights  to  gain. 
Land  of  the  free  ! — no  more  pollute  thy  soil, 
With  suffering  slavery's  never-ceasing  toil. 
The  sweat-drop,  like  the  blood  of  Abel,  cries 
For  quick  redress  from  the  avenging  skies. 


At  the  close  of  a  discourse  delivered  by  the  editor  of  the 
Contributor,  at  Clockville,  N.  Y.,  Lord's  day,  July  19th,  on 
the  character,  treatment,  death  and  burial  of  Charles  T. 
Torrey,  the  following  expressive  hymn,  written  for  the  occa 
sion  by  Roswell  Randall,  of  that  place,  was  sung  by  the  choir. 
The  effect  upon  the  large  assembly  of  people  was  such  as  can 
never  be  effaced.  We  esteem  it  worthy  of  being  sung  in  ev 
ery  family,  and  on  public  occasions,  by  the  best  singers  in 

the  land. 

TORRE Y'S   GRAVE. 

Sons  of  the  North — wake  from  your  sleep ! 

Your  cherished  country  save : 
Is  that  the  boon  your  fathers  won — 

That  cold  New  England  grave  ? 
Church  of  the  North — awake,  arise ! 

The  fiends  of  darkness  rave : 
Lo !  there  your  brightest  jewel  rusts — 

In  Auburn's  new-made  grave. 


POETRY.  361 


Rouse,  men  of  truth !   did  not  your  sires 

Th'  invading  Lion  brave  ? 
Let  not  your  country's  call  be  vain— 

That  call  from  Torrey's  grave. 

Ye,  who  abhor  that  iron  rale, 
Which  bloody  Papists  crave — 

Go — learn  a  worse  than  Papal  sway, 
In  that  dear  Martyr's  grave. 

Ho !  ye  who  say, '  We've  nought  to  do' — 

Shall  we  now  act  the  Slave  ? 
Go — read  the  price  the  North  has  paid, 

Upon  that  Martyr's  grave. 

Great  God  !  send  forth  thy  light  and  truth, 
With  thine  own  power  to  save, 

Until  the  South  shall  meet  to  bless 
That  lonely  Martyr's  grave. 

ADDED  FOR  THE  CONVENTION  AT  UTICA- 

Baptists,  whose  richest  vessel  floats 
On  'Christian  Freedom's  wav«, 

Your  WILLIAMS  spread  that  glorious  flag 
That  droops  o'er  Torrey's  grave. 

Wake,  then,  and  snatch  that  drooping  flag, 
And  spread  it  o'er  the  slave — 

Go,  link  your  interests  with  his  own — 
For  thus  speaks  Torrey's  grave. 


[From  the  Emancipator.] 

TORREY. 
JUDGES  xix.  30.— THE  HERALD  CORPSE. 

<!  When  Gibeah's  heartless  libertines 
Outraged  their  Levite  guest, 
Thus  adding  to  their  fearful  sins 
What  darkened  all  the  rest, — 
All  Israel  from  their  slumbers  woke, 
Through  vale  and  hill  loud  voices  broke ; 
Incensed  and  shamed,  a  steel-flanked  flood 
Sought  dire  revenge  in  streams  of  blood. 
31 


362  MEMOIR  OF  TORRE Y. 

Why  start  ye,  sons  of  Asher  ?  Why 
Is  terror  seen  in  every  eye, 
As  Raman's  street,  and  Rehob's  gate 
Tell  the  dismembered  victim's  fate  ? — 
Manasseh, — AVhy  that  deep  lament, 
O'er  Hor's  wild  cliffs  so  swiftly  sent. — 
Till,  echoing  down  fast  Merom's  waves, 
It  swells  again  from  Gilead's  caves  ? 
Through  Reuben.  Simeon,  Ephraim,  Dan,— 
The  '  torn-limb-bearing'  herald  ran ; 
Wailings  were  heard  in  Naphthali, 
Through  Zebulon  the  tidings  fly ; 
A  troop  from  Gad  cross  Jazer's  stream, 
In  Issachar  the  lances  gleam. 
Thy  lion,  Judah,  tears  the  ground, 
And  roars  his  rage  to  tribes  around. 
From  Gibeah  flesh  and  bones  were  sent, 
Crying  '  Revenge1  where'er  it  went ; 
A  corpse  the  Pilgrim  soil  now  roams  ! 
It  cries  '  Forgive'  where'er  it  comes — 
'  But  while  my  murderers  are  forgiven, 
For  slaves,  for  masters,  look  to  Heaven.' 
Ye  sons  of  freedom  !    Come  to  view 
This  herald — coffin-dad — 
Released,  at  last,  he  comes  to  you ; 
Hush ! — listen  to  the  dead  ! — 
He  tells  of  souls  whose  short  career 
On  earth  is  filled  with  pain  and  fear ; 
While  on  their  limbs  the  fetters  clink. 
Yet  of  release  they  must  not  think ; 
And  he  Avho  dares  their  rescue  seek, 
In  prison  must  atonement  make. 
He  tells  us  of  a  torturing  rack, 
Designed,  not  bone«,  but  hearts  to  break — 
And  whose  firm  grasp  not  only  binds 
One  victim — but  all  living  friends. 
A  victim  he,  yet  not  alone — 
Wife,  children,  must  with  him  atone. 
For  doing  deeds  of  love  for  those 
Whom  pity  never  could  refuse. 
She — hoping,  but  to  be  deceived, 
That  his  hard  fate  would  be  reprieved : 


POETRY.  363 


They — trusting  that  a  father's  smile 
Would  }Tet  their  tedious  hours  beguile ; 
At  distance  from  his  dying  hed 
Through  torturing  hopes  and  fears  are  led. 
He — anguished  that  his  babes  and  wife 
Are  absent,  pines  away  his  life. — 

See — see — it  comes  ;  that  corpse  is  near ! 

Haste,  freemen  !— stand  beneath  the  bier. 
Let  patriots  bear  a  patriot's  dust, 
Remembering  '  I  AM'  is  just. — 

His  herald-corpse  from  slavery  comes ; 

It  cries  '  Set  free,'  where'er  it  roams, — 

It  shows  us  that  if  men  delay, 

God  rules — HE  WILL  PROVIDE  A  WAY. 
Freemen,  to  the  bar  of  God 
That c  delivered'  one  has  fled — 
God  his  story  there  will  hear : 
Free  the  slave— or  justice  fear." 

T.  D.  P.  S. 


[From  the  Christian  Citizen.] 
•'  He  is  stretched  on  a  pallet  of  straw ; 
No  friend  wipes  the  cold  drops  away, 
That,  in  anguish,  are  wrung  from  the  sufferer's  brow. 
While  his  spirit  is  struggling  so  fearfully  now, 
To  throw  off  its  burden  of  clay. 

He  is  stretched  on  that  pallet  alone ; 

Saving  death,  there  is  no  one  within ; 
And  the  damp  gloomy  walls  of  the  prisoner's  cell 
Look  down  on  the  dying,  as  seeming  to  tell, 

Of  a  life  of  pollution  and  sin. 

Alone,  and  a  criminal  ?  No. 

In  the  midst  of  this  desolate  scene, 
A  light  breaks  the  darkness,  in  glory  divine ; 
In  its  rays,  how  the  features  of  death  brightly  shine  ! 

Like  the  sun,  mighty  storm-clouds  between. 

It  is  He,  the  Redeemer  of  men ; 
Anointed  with  power  from  on  high— 


364  MEMOIR  OF  TORRET. 

He  opens  the  prison  to  him  that  was  bound, 
While  the  chariots  and  horsemen  of  God  wait  around. 
The  freed  captive  to  bear  to  the  sky. 

Why  dragged  the  tried  martyr  the  chain 
Of  a  felon,  through  scorn,  to  the  grave  ? 
O,"hear  it,  and  '  clothed  be  the  heavens  in  black,' 
While  THE  LAND  OF  THE  TYRANT  the  answer  gives  back, 
He  remembered  the  perishing  slave. 

My  countrymen,  weep  not  for  him ; 

He  has  passed  to  the  home  of  the  just ; 
But  gird  you  with  sackcloth,  and  mourn  for  the  land : 
0,  weep,  lest  beneath  the  AVENGER'S  strong  hand. 

All  your  hopes  sink  in  shame  to  the  dust." 


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